Restructuring events
European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Lunch Garden, a Belgian chain of self service restaurants, has announced it will dismiss approximately 138 employees, which is about one tenth of total headcount. Up to 74 could benefit from early retirement possibilities. The goal of the company management is to keep open all restaurants but reduce the overal amount of employees. They claim the COVID-19 crisis has struck the company hard, as was the case with large catering companies like for example Sodexo. Trade unions are however critical of the reasoning that was given by the management as they received very little information prior to the announcement of the plans. They state that the crisis is used as an excuse to reduce personnel costs and that the austerity plans predate the crisis.
Eurofound (2020), Lunch Garden, Internal restructuring in Belgium, factsheet number 101967, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/101967.