Hoegaarden (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Employees for the AB InBev Hoegaarden brewery went back to work yesterday after a two-day walkout in which up to 150 of 215 workers participated. The strike was called by Sander Mouton and union ACV, who said grievances related to job security were still not taken seriously
The workers at AB InBev’s Hoegaarden Brewery returned to work on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, after a 2-day strike. The strike started on Monday, February 2, 2025. About 30 workers from the logistics department were unhappy with a new plan for work changes.
The company said there would be no job losses, but the workers worried it would make their jobs harder and affect beer quality. The workers, represented by the ACV union, were also scared that this could lead to bigger changes at the brewery.
Why Did Workers at AB InBev’s Hoegaarden Brewery Go on Strike?
According to ACV secretary Sander Mouton, the union thought that continuing the strike would not help. Workers are still worried about how their jobs might change and how the new plan will affect them in the long run. Changes in work can lead to bigger problems in job safety and working conditions.
“There was no consultation with management,”
Says ACV secretary Sander Mouton.
“But there was no point in continuing the strike. So everyone has been back to work since this morning.”
The recent strike at AB InBev’s Hoegaarden brewery started because a long-time employee was fired. She had worked there for 35 years and was let go just before her retirement. Many workers were upset about this. On Tuesday, February 4, and Wednesday, February 5 2025, 150 of 215 employees of the brewery about 70% participated in a strike.
In some shifts, almost 90 percent of workers joined in. Officials mentioned that the strike showed their anger about the firing and also their worries about job security. Even with strong support, the strike ended without any talks, and the workers chose to return to their jobs.
In October 2024, a worker was punished for a mistake that was not their fault. This led to a sudden strike. In January 2023, workers went on strike for a week over issues at work. In November 2023, a big strike affected many breweries in Belgium, including Hoegaarden.
