BP Chembel forced to reinstate two sacked workers at Feluy, Belgium

BRUSSELS (CNI)--Two sacked operators at the Feluy, Belgium site of BP Chembel have been reinstated following a works tribunal hearing on Thursday evening.

The two workers, who were "protected" due to their status as trades union representatives, were sacked with eight others about three weeks ago after refusing to obey orders relating to the management of a production incident.

BP Chembel described the reason for their dismissal as 'faute grave' - literally very serious misdemeanour. 'Faute grave' is a ground for dismissal without notice in Belgium.

However, the tribunal found that the protected status of the two workers, a union representative on the plant’s health and safety committee and the secretary of the works council, had been violated. It ruled that they should be reinstated to continue working at the Feluy site.