Strike at Volvo supplier Plasman continues after talks fail
The conciliation procedure between unions and management at Volvo supplier Plasman failed to produce an agreement on Wednesday evening. Belga learned this from multiple union sources. The strike will therefore continue.
The talks, held under the supervision of the Federal Public Service Employment, lasted several hours but failed to produce a breakthrough. The failure to reach an agreement has since been formally recorded.
“We did not reach an agreement today after hours of negotiations. Consequently, the strike will continue, pending an initiative from the employers' side,” a union source told Belga.
Plasman manufactures bumpers for carmakers, including Volvo Cars Ghent and BMW. The company employs around 350 people at its Ghent site, which has been at a standstill since Tuesday.
The strike broke out after workers learned that an expected new contract would not be awarded to the Ghent plant. According to the unions, the decision significantly undermines the site's future prospects. Employees had already taken industrial action earlier this spring to seek clarity about the company's future, but suspended those actions after management promised further consultations.
The dispute is also affecting Volvo Cars Ghent. Due to a shortage of parts deliveries from Plasman, Volvo was forced to halt final assembly operations on Tuesday.
Around 4,500 Volvo workers have since been placed on temporary unemployment. After no shifts were able to start on Wednesday, Volvo announced that the Thursday morning shift would also be cancelled on Wednesday evening, bringing the total number of cancelled shifts to five.
#FlandersNewsService | Workers of Plasman Gent on strike at Plasman, Wednesday 3 June, 2026.
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS D'HOLLANDER
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