EAT/DHL News Flash – 21 September 2017

Let me share with you the reasons why EAT BRU Management changed their mind from paying a 1% Bonus/Exceptional allowance for 2017 + 2018 to paying a 3% Bonus in 2017.

This difference of 5% over two years was not due to sudden generosity or because EAT spontaneously realised they made a mistake. This is because BeCA obtained, within 10 days from the initial announcement on August 9, two legal opinions from high level legal advisors concluding that the excuse for capping at 1% was not making sense.

The first analysis from our experts based its reasoning that if 3% were paid in 2016, paying 3% in 2017 did not mean any increase in gross salary. The second analysis went even further and, based on EU regulations, concludes that our exceptional allowance was not at all part of the salary mass, so not subject to any Salary Limitation (an open door thus for LEJ base as well).

EAT BRU management received a simplified version of these memos on August 26 (cf attached pdf).

On 1st September came a new announcement about a 3% Exceptional allowance for 2017, without more explanations.

The legal backup paid by BeCA has heavily contributed to this change and will probably still have to be used again in 2018. This investment in legal costs on very short notice – close to 2000€ – was possible thanks to the reactivity of BeCA Executive Board who approved the expenses within 24 hrs, but also to YOU, our members who contribute financially and sometimes personally to our achievements.

And this is another illustration of what your BeCA membership can be used for and how BeCA can complement unions in the Belgian system.

Many non-members but some members too didn’t get the full story about the “Bonus 2017”.

Now they can’t say they didn’t know….

PS: the BRU reps never received a copy of EAT’s legal opinion to explain their analysis on the 1%… Up to you to imagine why 😉