Employers and unions react to dioxin food contamination scandal

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Employers and trade unions in Belgium have taken differing views over the dioxin food contamination scandal that erupted in May 1999. While employers stress administrative incompetence and the absence of controls on food production, the unions have focused on lack of funds and the need to review the criteria for subsidies to the food and agriculture industries.

The crisis which erupted in May 1999 in Belgium resulting from disclosures about the contamination of food by dioxins has led to varying reactions on the part of employers and trade unions.

The Federation of Belgian Enterprises (Fédération des Entreprises de Belgique/Verbond van Belgische Ondernemingen, FEB/VBO) has accused the government of being" incompetent and incapable of facing up to a crisis". It wants the government to compensate firms for the losses they have suffered following the temporary ban on the production and marketing of certain products. It has also said that it is ready to help with re-establishing confidence in product quality and the efficiency of state quality-control mechanisms.

Meanwhile, the joint body for two trade unions - the General Confederation of Public Service Workers (Centrale Générale des Services Publics/Algemene Centrale der Openbare Diensten, CGSP/ACOD) and the Christian Public Services Union (Centrale Chrétienne des Services Publics/Christelijke Centrale de Openbare Diensten, CCSP/CCOD) - representing employees at the Ministry for the Self-employed and Agriculture has denounced the lack of human and material resources at the Ministry for food-quality controls. The unions are demanding "investment in new technologies to allow the detection of increasingly sophisticated frauds".

The Belgian General Federation of Labour (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV), demanded a price freeze on food products soon after the disclosure of the contamination, and in view of the rise in prices of those products still allowed to be sold. The Ministry of Economic Affairs in fact adopted a decree along those lines on 9 June. FGTB/ABVV also wants income guarantees for the workers in the sectors affected by the crisis.

Finally, the Walloon regional council of the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond, CSC/ACV) is calling for a change in the criteria for granting agricultural subsidies, and in particular a shift from requirements governing quantity to requirements governing quality. The Walloon CSC/ACV is also stressing the importance of the government campaign to combat undeclared work and bogus bills, which are very widespread in the food-processing sector.