On July 19, the OGBL, the only union represented at BSH électroménagers S.A., and the staff delegation signed a social plan with the company’s management.

The management of BSH Electroménagers S.A. announced the definitive closure of the company on July 3. A first information meeting with the OGBL and the staff delegation took place on July 5, during which the management confirmed its intention to lay off around 45 employees as of September 1, 2023. This decision is completely incomprehensible to OGBL and its employees given the record results the company has achieved in recent years.

However, OGBL would like to emphasize that the negotiations on the redundancy plan took place in a constructive climate, with a common concern to find appropriate and socially acceptable solutions for the employees affected by this mass redundancy.

As a result, the OGBL and the staff delegation were able to obtain various accompanying measures in favor of the employees concerned, including in particular

• extra-legal compensation based on seniority
• extra-legal compensation for employees over 50 years of age, for whom it will obviously be more difficult to find another job
• full payment of wages and other compensation due during the notice period, even if employees find a new job before the end of the notice period
• a commitment by management to immediately release employees who find new jobs
• increased wage compensation as of July 2023, as well as various other non-statutory wage measures
• organization of an information session with the ADEM on measures to obtain unemployment benefits in Luxembourg and the border regions, as well as on re-employment assistance
• training on how to write a curriculum vitae and how to conduct oneself during a job interview.

In addition, the management of BSH Electroménagers S.A. has taken steps to ensure that its employees will be able to obtain re-employment assistance, which has been confirmed by a ministerial decree dated July 6, 2023. The management also undertook to apply for tax exemption for extra-legal compensation and to contact some of its partners with a view to redeploying or taking on redundant employees.

The OGBL regrets the decision to permanently close BSH Electroménagers S.A. and the loss of its highly committed employees’ representatives. Finally, OGBL remains fully engaged to support the employees throughout the implementation of this social plan.

 

Press release of the OGBL Commerce Syndicate,
July 24, 2023