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WP of Belgium, The WPB welcomes the withdrawal of the restructuring
plan within the multinational brewer AB InBev [En., Fr.]

————————————————-

From: Workers’ Party of Belgium,
Monday, 25 January
2010

http://www.wpb.be , mailto:wpb@wpb.be

==================================================

The Workers’ Party of Belgium welcomes the withdrawal of
the restructuring plan within the multinational brewer AB InBev and particularly
applauds the tenacity of AB InBev workers in their
struggle.

Background –
Anhauser-Busch InBev

The
Anhauser-Busch InBev multinational (Belgian-Brazilian) is the world’s largest
beer brewer. It employs about 120,000 workers in 25 countries with a total sales
number of 39 billion US dollars. It is among the top 10 consumer products
multinationals. Beginning this year, the company announced that it planned to
cut 10% of its 8,000 workforce in Europe. 
In Belgium, AB InBev
announced 300 layoffs at its breweries in Jupille and Leuven.

Between 1989 and
2009, the total production in Belgium tripled from 4 to 12 million
hectoliters. During the same period, the workforce was reduced by half, from
6000 to 2800 workers.  Three times more beer produced by half the numbers
of workers. Hence, the productivity increased by 600%. In a call for solidarity,
the union delegations of Jupille and Leuven
asked “Why do increases in wealth have to translate into disaster for the
workers? What is the logic, if it is not profits over everything
else?”

After have gone
through several restructuring plans over the last years, the workers of AB InBev
decided it was enough and that they had to “resist the logic of a perverted
capitalism”.

Last year, AB
InBev Belgium took advantage of 70 Million
Euros in tax cuts to support the “creation of jobs”. With that money, they could
have created 2000 jobs, or more than 6 times the number of jobs it wants to cut
today. Why didn’t the multinational do so?

If AB InBev is
cutting jobs, it is not because it is not making money. It is because it wants
to make even more money.  In 2009, the company made 4 billion dollars of
profits and realized 18% in return on investment. For 2010, it plans to pay 945
million Euros to shareholders.  AB InBev is not in financial trouble. 
It wants to come out of the recession stronger than it was before, with more
profits and more assets, at the cost of their competitors and thousands of jobs.
They are preparing for the aftermath of the crisis, which will lay the
foundation of another, even bigger crisis.

The workers of
AB InBev refused to accept this logic. For two weeks, they sealed off the
entrances to the company’s plants in Leuven and
Jupille and demanded that the restructuring plan be completely withdrawn.

On Thursday
January 21st, the board of AB InBev announced that it was completely withdrawing
the restructuring plan.

January 22d
2010

The Workers’
Party of Belgium welcomes the withdrawal of the restructuring plan within the
multinational brewer AB InBev and particularly applauds the tenacity of AB InBev
workers in their struggle.

Raoul Hedebouw,
spokesperson of the Workers Party of Belgium. “This struggle is an exemplary
struggle. During 15 days, the workers showed determination to the board on the
withdrawal of the restructuring plan. For the first time since it was
introduced, a “Renault Procedure” (which is the legal procedure to be followed
for restructuring) had to be stopped. This is a important
victory!”

The WPB
emphasizes the importance of union unity in this
conflict.

Raoul Hedebouw.
“The unity of the workers was a determining factor in this struggle. Over the
past years, the union delegations of the north (Leuven) and the south (Jupille) of the country reinforced
their relations, and their relations got even stronger during this conflict.
Their unity allowed them to resist the pressure from the board of the AB InBev
to accept the restructuring plan. This unity was further supported by the
decision of the AB InBev workers of the Netherlands and Germany to
refuse to bottle the Jupiler beer!”

Another
important element emphasized by the WPB is the solidarity of the people. “Every
day, dozens of workers and union delegations came to the picket lines in
Leuven and Jupille to show solidarity. That a
company like AB InBev, who makes so much profit, can lay off workers is an idea
that is not accepted by the people.” says the young spokesperson. He adds: “In
this context, the WPB is proud to have been able to support the works of Jupille
and Leuven in their struggle, through our daily
presence at the picket lines and the multiple solidarity delegations that we
organized.”

In the difficult
economic context, the WPB emphasizes the important character of this victory.
Raoul Hedebouw: “Every single day, companies announce restructuring plans in the
country. Even complete plant closure, such as the closing of the Opel Antwerp
(General Motoros) assembly plant announced on Thursday morning January 21st.
This victory shows that through struggle, it is possible to make employers
retreat on restructuring plans that aim at making even more profits for the
company.”

The WPB calls
for the politicians to take responsibilities for their actions. Raoul Hedebouw:
“The parliament needs to pass an emergency law that would stop layoffs in
companies that make profits, distribute money to shareholders, give out bonuses
or make cash reserves. We need to stop giving tax breaks, subsidies and public
aid to companies to create jobs while at the same time, these same companies
announce layoffs and restructuration plans.”

The WPB was the
first party to denounce tax cuts for companies, which handed over 70 Billion
Euros of tax payer money to AB InBev Belgium.

=============

22 January
2010

Le PTB se réjouit du retrait du plan de restructuration au sein de la
multinationale de la
bière AB InBev et salue tout particulièrement la ténacité des
travailleurs de l’entreprise dans leur combat.

Service
de presse

Raoul
Hedebouw, porte-parole du Parti du Travail de Belgique. « Cette lutte est 
une lutte exemplaire. Pendant 15 jours les travailleurs ont montré leur
détermination envers la direction sur le retrait du plan de restructuration.
Pour la première fois depuis son existence, une "procédure Renault" (qui 
est prévue par la loi en cas de restructuration) a du être arrêtée, c’est une
victoire importante!».

Le PTB
souligne l’importance de l’unité syndicale dans ce conflit. Raoul Hedebouw : «
L’unité des travailleurs a été un point crucial dans cette lutte. Ces dernières
années, les délégations syndicales du nord (Leuven) et du sud (Jupille) du pays
ont renforcé leurs liens, renforcement qui a connu une accélération tout au long
de ce conflit. Cette unité a permis de résister aux pressions de la direction
d’AB Inbev pour accepter un plan social. Unité d’autant plus renforcée par la
décision des travailleurs des Pays-Bas et d’Allemagne d’InBev de refuser de
mettre en bouteille la Jupiler!».

Un
autre élément important souligné par le PTB est la solidarité de la population.
« Tant aux sites de Jupille que sur le site de Louvain, tous les jours, des
dizaines de travailleurs et délégations syndicales sont venus témoigner leur
solidarité aux piquets de grève. Qu’une entreprise comme AB InBev qui fait
autant de bénéfices licencient est une idée qui n’est pas acceptée par la
population. » lance le jeune porte-parole. Et de rajouter : « Dans ce cadre
d’ailleurs, nous sommes satisfaits également d’avoir pu soutenir les
travailleurs de Liège et de Louvain dans leur lutte par notre présence
quotidienne au piquet et les multiples délégations de solidarité que nous avons
pu organiser. »

Dans ce
contexte économique difficile, le PTB souligne le caractère  important de
cette victoire. Raoul Hedebouw : «  Il n’y a pas une journée qui passe sans
qu’on annonce un plan de restructuration dans une entreprise du pays.  Voir
même des fermetures comme celle annoncée  jeudi matin 21 janvier dans le
cas d’Opel Anvers (General Motors). Cette victoire montre qu’en luttant, il est
possible de faire reculer le patronat sur ces plans de restructuration dont le
but est d’engranger encore plus de profit
».

Le  PTB suggère concrètement que le monde politique
prenne ses responsabilités. Raoul Hedebouw : « Le parlement peut voter en
urgence une loi  qui empêcherait les licenciements dans les entreprises qui
font des bénéfices, donnent des dividendes, accordent des bonus et/ou
constituent des réserves. On doit arrêter de  donner des cadeaux fiscaux,
subsides et aides publiques d’un côté au nom de l’emploi et de l’autre, ne pas
intervenir quand ces mêmes entreprises licencient et restructurent. ». Et le PTB
de rappeler qu’il fût le premier parti à dénoncer les intérêts notionnels
(avantages fiscaux) qui ont permis un gain fiscal à hauteur de 70 millions
d’euros octroyés au groupe AB Inbev en
Belgique.

*End*

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