COMMITMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

You need a lot of commitment to devote yourself to your colleagues. But you also get something in return. “It feels good to help people”, say the four employee delegates we interviewed below. A conversation about commitment, support and fulfilment.

Enjoying the small steps forward

“I think commitment is in my DNA”, says Tom Bervoets, who has been working for the trade union at Nokia for a very long time. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. “You always need to look for compromises, because you have no control over the management’s decisions. And in a sector that changes as quickly as ours, there are always new matters to be discussed”, he knows. “Fortunately, our members’ reactions are often positive. Sometimes they react positively to a small yet important achievements. It feels good every single time.”

The support during meetings with trade union colleagues from other sectors or companies also helps. “We can cross-check our own ideas and have the opportunity to hear how others deal with certain matters. It’s extremely helpful.”

Tom has also learnt to enjoy small achievements. “I have learnt to be patient and to have a long-term vision. I try to teach my team of delegates the same thing. They won’t last otherwise. They often think a problem can be solved in a day. But, unfortunately, that’s not how things work. But by keeping the bigger picture in mind and by enjoying the small achievements, you can see that things are improving.”

“I am quite curious”

About 8 years ago, Janah Demeire, who makes costumes for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, was asked whether she wanted to work for a trade union. After some hesitation, she accepted. And she hasn’t regretted that decision for a second. “I am quite curious”, she explains. “I always want to know what is going on. Even at work. What’s going on with our six-day week? What opportunities does (end-of-career) time credit offer? How much should someone earn? And if I can’t find something, I know I can always go to my trade union colleagues or our trade union secretary for help. I also learn a lot during the training courses provided by ACV.”

Janah also likes the social aspect of her trade union work. “I meet so many people I wouldn’t get to know otherwise. It’s great to be able to discuss certain matters with the management and get an explanation or information about decisions. By talking about it, we understand each other’s point of view.”

This way, Janah helps find solutions. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, the seasonal contracts for dancers were a hot topic. Permanent contracts were difficult to accept for the management. Since then, we have been able to convince them. Our constructive approach does add value.”

“Our constructive approach does add value”

Collaboration helps everyone move forward

Marie-Christine works at Puilaetco, a medium-sized private bank in Brussels. During the last social elections, she was on the electoral list of ACV. “But I had been involved in trade union work for a lot longer than that. Fellow executives came to me with their questions about their contract or their rights. Doing the same thing in the name of ACV offers benefits”, she says.

“The main difference is that I can access information a lot quicker. It helps being part of something bigger. Our trade union secretary always provides the right information or refers us to websites with up-to-date information. This allows us to be more confident when addressing certain things or when finding answers to questions asked by our members. They find their way to us more and more.”

As she has only recently started doing trade union work at Puilaetco, Marie-Christine hasn’t got any experience with drawing up CLAs. “We aren’t at that point yet. But we are reaching agreements with the employer, such as the Covid bonus we negotiated. Our employer is open-minded to our input. There was a little suspicion in the beginning, but it disappeared quickly. He understands that collaboration can make things easier for him as well.”

The voice of the youth

Lien is team manager at the National Bank of Belgium. She started working for the trade unions to make the voice of the youth heard in the reforms of the wage policy. “I am pleasantly surprised by the positive attitude of ACV Puls and CNE”, she says. “We are trying to improve things, not to stop the progress that is needed.” That is, at times, a lot of work. “I put a lot of time into personal contacts with colleagues to explain in a nuanced manner what we are doing and why we do it. That is not always easy. But we find enough collegial motivation within our team to keep up that important work. And honestly, it gives me energy to work on progress like that.”

The approach is paying off. “It’s nice to be complimented by colleagues.” On the other hand, Lien thinks certain matters are so important she doesn’t find the time to disconnect. “I do work over time sometimes”, she laughs. “Fortunately, my trade union colleagues allow me to vent about the work I’m doing.”

“I’m actually quite satisfied with what I’ve achieved in that short period of time. If you see where we started, I think it’s safe to say we have made the most of the situation thanks to our constructive approach.”