The acquisition of Delfood by Delhaize has raised concerns among employees of the seven Cora hypermarkets, now one of the very few parts of the Group louis delhaize that are still left. The unions are afraid a “social disaster” could arise.
Silence from management fuels fear
As the louis delhaize group continues its dismantling with the sale of Delfood, the future of the remaining seven Cora hypermarkets and their staff becomes increasingly uncertain. According to trade union SetCa, the louis delhaize management has been reticent about the chain’s future. “Through informal channels, we hear that the group intends to divest the hypermarkets, either wholly or partially”, the union told Belgian news outlet La Libre.
Since 2015, the group went through several restructuring phases. In recent years, Belgian Match stores and Delitraiteur have been sold to Colruyt, while other operations in France, Luxembourg, and Romania have been transferred to various parties. “It is always the same story”, the union laments: “When decisions are made, it is the employees who suffer.”
The union warns that not only the 2,000 Cora employees are at risk, but also thousands of jobs in the shopping centres where the hypermarkets are located. “The staff deserves clarity. What looms now is nothing short of a social disaster”, the union claims.
