For the workers concerned, some of whom have been active at Lunch Garden for decades, it’s as if life stopped, confirms Stéphane Piron, with a defeated expression.
The bankruptcy of the brand, which should in principle be declared this Monday, will initially lead to the dismissal of all workers. Of the sixty restaurants that Lunch Garden currently has, 39 are restaurants directly managed by the group and 22 are franchisees, the last is a Bistro Garden. In total, around twenty restaurants (six owned and 13 franchised) should definitely open their doors. Added to this is the planned franchising of around ten restaurants currently under own management. According to the newspaper litterthe restaurants of Froyennes, Inno rue Neuve, Messancy, St Denis Westrem, St Kruis Brugge and Wilrijk are expected to close. As for franchisees, those in Waterloo, Auderghem, Evere, Inno Meer, Flémalle, Libramont, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Ghent, Hasselt and Hannut will also go out of business. The future of the restaurants in Arlon and Ederghem is still uncertain at present.
Only half the staff saved?
According to the CEO, Stephan Brouwers, around 300 workers out of the 600 at the brand, franchisees not included, could hope to keep their jobs. “But this will be done with a different way of working and under different working conditions. Only 70% of the staff would keep their jobs in the restaurants which will be taken over”underlines Sandra Antenucci, permanent secretary for the CSC Food and Services. Among franchisees expected to continue their activities, job losses would reach 50% of staff.
Lunch Garden bankrupt? An extraordinary business council is planned for this Monday
-Other bad news for workers: end-of-year bonuses and salaries for the month of January, despite management’s promises, will not be paid soon. “This will only happen in several months and via the business closure fund,” further deplored Stéphane Piron.
The so-called “silent bankruptcy” procedure, which Lunch Garden management used to find a buyer, is also not passed on to worker representatives. “We are faced with a fait accompli. This completely puts the union organizations out of the game,” denounces Sandra Antenucci. A feeling of powerlessness and injustice shared by his Setca colleague: “we were unable to put forward our arguments to try to reduce the number of layoffs”.
Most Lunch Garden restaurants are closed this Monday. Their reopening will depend in particular on the trustee, who will be appointed following the bankruptcy, and the expected buyer, the Antwerp fund CIM Capital. As for the unions, they will consult restaurant staff in the coming hours.
