Violation of employee rights at subsidiary Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway investigated

Redactie
Door Redactie 22 July 2021

The complaint filed by the FNV trade union about the violation of workers' rights at a subsidiary 10bis in Israel of the Dutch parent company Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway, has been declared admissible by the National Contact Point for OECD Guidelines (NCP) in The Hague. The OECD guidelines state what governments of 48 countries expect from companies in the areas of employee rights, supply chain responsibility, child labor and the environment.

The FNV filed the complaint at the beginning of this year because 10bis refuses to recognize the local Israeli trade union Histadrut and to start collective consultations on employment terms and conditions of the 1,400 affiliated members. Although this is a legal right in Israel when more than 1/3 of the workers are represented by a trade union. The employees want to make agreements about wages, accident insurance, weekend allowances and working hours, but 10bis continues to refuse this.

Old-fashioned scenes at Just Eat Takeaway

'Home delivery / Just Eat Takeaway as a parent company has a chain responsibility and must ensure that employee rights are respected in Israel', says Petra Bolster, Daily Board member FNV. The 10bis company harass and manipulates employees to prevent them from joining or canceling their membership in Histadrut. Bolster: 'These are old-fashioned scenes at this young company. It's unheard of for her to be rowing on profits at the workers' backs – especially with delivery booming due to the pandemic – but won't even talk to Israel's oldest and largest union representing 1,400 workers within 10bis.'

No local issue judges NCP

The Dutch parent company Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway has so far dismissed the issue as a local matter. Today the NCP ruled in favor of the FNV. The group is centrally managed and controlled and is responsible for what subsidiaries do, according to the NCP. Apart from an ongoing lawsuit between Histadrut and 10bis, there is no obstacle to adhering to OECD guidelines by 10bis and Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway. International guidelines and treaties prescribe that employees have the right to associate and agree on working conditions, according to the NCP.

Employee rights more important than profit

Now that the NCP believes that the FNV is right to address the parent company Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway about the violations in Israel, the NCP will conduct further investigations and enter into discussions with those involved. She proposes to start a mediation process. FNV and Histadrut want to cooperate if it ensures that Thuisbezorgd / Just Eat Takeaway will recognize employee rights. However, the company continues to insist it is a local matter and under the courts.

Bolster: 'This is not a way of doing things. Internationally, it has long been established that companies must recognize trade unions and we therefore call on Thuisbezorgd / JustEat TakeAway to instruct their subsidiary 10bis to do this immediately. The fact that the company is now hiding behind legal proceedings shows what kind of company it is; one that does not put the interests of employees first and that makes profit more important than people.'

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