The Belgian Public Prosecution Service (OM) is starting an investigation into possible transgressive behavior at amusement park group Plopsa. According to witnesses, tyranny, harassment, insults and verbal abuse predominate in the company and holiday and rest periods are not respected.
In response, more than 150 employees expressed their support for the management in a full-page newspaper advertisement on Monday morning.
The Plopsa group, owned by Studio 100, has theme parks in Belgium and the Netherlands, among others. The park in the Netherlands is located in Coevorden. According to a spokesperson for the Belgian Public Prosecution Service, the investigation is not currently focusing on that park. “The investigation is limited to Belgium,” said the spokesperson.
The management of the company came under fire this weekend after the publication in various Belgian newspapers of dozens of testimonies of transgressive behaviour. CEO Steve Van den Kerkhof (48) and two directors in particular had to endure it. Van den Kerkhof denies the allegations. “It hurts that certain people have had such experiences,” he says to Het Laatste Nieuws.
“Last weekend we read and heard many one-sided stories about our employer and our management with disbelief,” the employees write in their open letter. “Plopsa has been around for 23 years and if you throw these stories together without a filter, you will of course get an adapted version of reality.” The team supports and thanks the management.
The Plopsa parks are built around popular TV characters for children from Studio 100, such as Samson & Gert and Kabouter Plop.