Kantinepersoneel EU-organen staken vanwege lage lonen (en)

BRUSSELS / EUOBSERVER - Kitchen staff in the EU's Brussels headquarters have revolted over bad working conditions, threatening further walkouts unless they secure a new deal next week.

Belgium's FGTB and CSC trade unions are set to meet with employers' representatives on Tuesday (10 May) to ask for a wage increase of some 10 per cent and permanent contracts.

The US-based multinational Sodexho provides around 370 catering staff for the European Parliament and the European Council, while UK firm Compass supplies 350 workers for the European Commission.

"If they don't have a good proposition, we will go on strike again", CSC secretary Patrick Vanderhaeghe told EUobserver.

The unions are urging EU staff to keep on boycotting their canteens until the dispute is resolved.

The protest began on 18 April, when parliament caterers downed tools and gathered outside the huge building at 60 Rue Wiertz blowing whistles and waving banners.

The noisy demonstration lasted until 29 April under the watchful eye of armed police, while Sodexho kept the parliament's canteen running by bringing in temporary staff from outside.

Commission and council kitchen workers also staged walkouts in the intervening days and NATO catering staff showed solidarity by dishing out leaflets at the organisation's base across town.

Parliament caterers provisionally went back to work after 29 April in order to kick-start the negotiations, Mr Vanderhaeghe explained.

Socialists show support

The parliament's leftist PES faction has come out in support of the strikers, with group leader Martin Schulz expressing "indignation" at the "unacceptable" working conditions.

"Mr Schulz has not touched so much as a cup of coffee ever since", a spokesman for the Socialists quipped.

"If the same scandalous conditions and salaries are maintained, he may suggest to the bureau that it considers reversing the [Sodexho] contract", he added.

The bureau is a group of 20 senior MEPs responsible for financial and administrative decisions in the parliament.

But much of the building's workforce has continued to munch on steak, chips and salads despite the boycott.

"I felt a bit guilty eating my lunch by the window, with the lads blowing their whistles outside", one administrator remarked.

Smile on 1,000 a month

Trade unions say that low level canteen staff earn about 1,000 euro per month net while working 11 and 13 hour long days using out of date equipment.

Many are retained on temporary contracts of just a few days' duration, facing unemployment for one week per month when the parliament decamps to its second home in Strasbourg.

Some contracts reportedly stipulate that they must smile at diners, who can net wages five or more times higher than themselves.

CSC and the socialist PES group have also raised concerns over Sodexho's use of temporary staff to break the picket line.

"It is against Belgian law", Mr Vanderhaeghe asserted, querying how the company managed to obtain security passes for the new staff so quickly.

A senior European Council administrator expressed confidence in Sodexho and Compass though.

"These are well-known multinational companies who employ people according to the laws of the countries in which they operate", the source indicated.

Compass' UK spokeswoman said she was unaware of any strikes at the European Commission, while Sodexho was unavailable for comment.

Sodexho recently agreed to pay out $80 million (62 million euro) to black US employees on 27 April in a race discrimination case.