The Belgian government relaxed regulations on night work in the e-commerce sector last week. However, according to trade federation Comeos, it is a symbolic measure that will achieve nothing.
From 1 January 2018, companies in the e-commerce sector can introduce night work through a collective agreement with the approval of only one union. This will involve labour performed between midnight and 5am. According to Comeos, this will not achieve anything. In fact, companies would initially want to work from 8pm to midnight. The relaxation does not apply to these times. Web shops that want to process orders also in the evening will therefore have to change the labour regulations. This usually requires agreement from all unions. "This measure changes nothing," responds managing director Dominique Michel. "No company will start working from midnight if nothing can be done from 20 to 23h59."
Sunday work also still requires an adaptation of labour regulations. "This again very often requires the agreement of all unions. It does not take us a step forward."
Belgium has been struggling with the e-fulfilment market for some time. Due to unfavourable labour regulations, 15,000 jobs are said to be flowing abroad. After all, online shops want to deliver quickly, which makes it more favourable for them - also due to lower labour costs - to bring fulfilment to neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands, France and Germany. This is evident in the number of distribution centres being built around Belgium's border. Twenty-four distribution centres have been placed here in the past four years: 17 in the Netherlands, four in Germany and three in France.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
