Nike threatens further 325 job cuts at Laakdal distribution centre
Trade union sources have confirmed that a further 325 positions are set to be cut at the Nike distribution centre in Laakdal, Antwerp. Earlier this year, the American sportswear giant already announced cuts of up to 411 jobs at the logistics centre.
"The employer is now putting a package of measures on the table," said Marieke Van Gils of trade union BBTK. "If we, as trade unions, were to agree to these, they promise that those 325 additional redundancies might possibly be avoided."
The unions say it is up to management to explain precisely what those measures entail. They are said to involve introducing greater flexibility, meaning workers could be sent home during quiet periods and called back in when demand increases.
Van Gils is unconvinced. "We have already built in a great deal of flexibility here in recent years," she said. "And now they are going even further. This is not a clear message from management." Further talks are scheduled for next Tuesday in Laakdal. The distribution centre employs around 5,000 people.
The announcement comes at a difficult moment for Nike. The company's share price recently fell to its lowest level in over a decade after it issued a gloomy financial outlook, forecasting a decline in revenue for the remainder of 2026.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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