Lidl staff blockade depots in protest over workload

Workers for Lidl supermarket chain are striking and blockading five distribution centres in Belgium to denounce what they describe as a workload that is "no longer sustainable" in the chain's stores, according to CNE union national secretary Myriam Djegham.

The unions are calling for solutions to a structural shortage of staff, the obligation to reorganise store shelves every week without sufficient staff, and overtime worked outside the hours permitted by law – issues they say have persisted for at least two years.

With so much work and so few staff, some shops have even had to temporarily close to customers in order to restock shelves, Djegham said.

Other issues include a lack of resources, tasks being given to student workers who are not authorised to do them, and training hours not being counted.

“The staff can't take it anymore – they're on their knees,” said CNE union’s Christopher Renette.

Unions are demanding that management present a concrete plan to improve the situation by 10 June at the latest, or face strikes in stores themselves.

The blockades present issues for management and logistics but have little effect on customers at this stage.

Lidl’s head of general affairs, Isabelle Colbrandt, said that while some branches may run out of fresh produce, customers will notice "virtually nothing".

The German retailer opposes the blockades, saying they were done without prior consultation. But unions say no progress has been made despite several meetings with management.

“We have a meeting on 10 June, and today we are alerting Lidl and launching an appeal for help for the workers,” said CNE union’s Marie-Cécile Franck.

“We are really asking them to listen to the workers and to take action because, at the moment, the situation is no longer tenable.”

Lidl is not the only grocery chain whose workers say they are suffering. Delhaize workers also held a series of strikes and the sector in general is reporting staff shortages and increased workloads since the pandemic.