Staff at book-seller and multi-media store Fnac down tools
Staff at the French-owned book and multi- media store Fnac have downed tools in protest at the company’s restructuring plans. Customers that wished to buy books, CDs, computer games, mobile phones, TVs and other items sold at the Fnac stores in Brussels, Liège and Louvain-la-Neuve (Walloon Brabant) have returned home empty-handed today as the stores are closed due to strike action.
Under the restructuring plans 57 of the 400 jobs currently in existence at Fnac’s 11 Belgian stores would be scrapped. The management at Fnac want to reduce wage costs and are demanding greater flexibility from those that work in their stores.
Talks between management and the unions have reached an impasse. The staff striking on Saturday hope that their action will bring both parties back to the negotiating table.