Workers in Belgium join wave of Lidl strikes

Following recent strikes in France and Italy, Lidl workers in Belgium launched their own strike and blockades on 5 June to protest excessive workload and severe understaffing.

Workers from UNI Global Union affiliates, ACV Puls, CNE and CGSLB targeted five key distribution centres: Genk, La Louvière, Marche-en-Famenne, Sint-Niklaas and Wevelgem. Deliveries from the warehouses to the stores were halted, severely disrupting operations.

According to the reports by the unions, staff have long been struggling under extreme work pressure, with sick employees and those undergoing training not being replaced. As a result, a reduced workforce must carry out the workload intended for a full team. Stores remain structurally understaffed, with students often counted as full-time workers, and employees are forced to reorganize the entire store layout every week.

Myriam Djegham, the National Secretary of CNE, said:

“While Lidl has increased its turnover by 5.3 per cent, it continues to cut hours in stores. Workers can no longer keep up with the multitude of tasks expected of them. Pressure is being applied at all levels of the hierarchy. Staff are exhausted.”

On top of this, administrative duties place a heavy burden on staff, with weekly briefings regularly running up to 50 pages. Recently, Lidl also drastically increased ‘piece performance’ targets — the required number of items a worker must shelve — adding even more pressure.

Kevin Kiggen, union representative at ACV Puls, stated:

“The work pressure is far too high; we expect a clear signal from the Belgian management to take action. A meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, so we hope the management will come to the negotiating table with concrete measures.”

Management has agreed to meet with union representatives and is expected to present a plan by Tuesday, 10 June. The strike has been called off for now, but if the plan falls short of expectations, workers and unions have made it clear they are prepared to escalate their actions.

Mathias Bolton, Head of UNI Commerce, added:

“Lidl workers across Europe are sounding the alarm and Belgium is the latest flashpoint in a growing movement against unsustainable pressure and chronic understaffing. UNI Commerce stands in full solidarity with our Belgian affiliates and we urge Lidl management to meet the fair and urgent demands of workers that keep their business running.”