The boarding schools, which fall under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, require an annual agreement between the non-profit organisation managing them and the ministry for funds to be released. However, this year’s agreement was only finalised in mid-February, and due to the winter holidays, the financial procedure was delayed. While salaries were ultimately paid in advance, the situation has exposed a breakdown in communication.
Céline Conter from the LCGB trade union criticised the handling of the issue, stating that proper social dialogue between management and the employee delegation did not take place. She argued that management should have proactively informed the delegation about the problem and reassured staff that efforts were being made to resolve it. Instead, she questioned whether the delays were limited to this month or indicative of broader financial concerns.
Adding to the frustration, Conter accused management of unfairly shifting blame onto the employee delegation. She pointed out that the delegation had, in fact, written to the ministry to request more information, supported by the LCGB. However, management allegedly suggested the delegation had not done enough, a move Conter firmly rejected as “a no-go”.
The LCGB has been in close contact with the delegation and has called for clarity. A meeting between management, the delegation, and the union is scheduled for Wednesday to address outstanding concerns. So far, management has not provided a public statement on the matter. Further updates are expected following the meeting.
There are currently seven Jacques Broquart boarding schools, and an eighth is currently under construction in Pétange.
