Pressure on CEO of the National Lottery continues to increase
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17 May 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The National Lottery is in crisis. Recently, a third attempt at mediation between CEO Jannie Haek and the unions has failed to bring results.
In late April, the unions sent an official complaint letter to the board of directors, detailing accusations against Haek’s behavior. These included allegations of appearing intoxicated at work, smoking indoors, and verbally abusing employees.
Serious Allegations and Complaints
On February 23, the unions ACV, ACOD and ACLVB wrote a letter to the National Lottery’s board of directors expressing their deep concern over the CEO’s ongoing behavior towards employees and members of the executive committee.
They spoke of verbal aggression and a toxic work environment based on fear and intimidation. Additionally, Haek is accused of excessive smoking and drinking during work hours, which has already resulted in two fines.
Mediation at a stalemate
The first mediation attempt took place on April 2, followed by a second meeting on April 26. However, neither yielded any results. Furthermore, the third meeting held this afternoon at the headquarters also failed to bring about a resolution.
The unions confirmed that Haek has apologized and that the board of directors has acknowledged the CEO’s behavior. However, the unions remain unsatisfied and demand concrete actions by mid-June. Four more meetings are currently scheduled.
Reactions and Next Steps
The unions are refusing to sign a charter with codes of conduct, believing that the current labor regulations are sufficient. They are not convinced that Haek will change his behavior.
While the CEO himself has not yet responded, spokesperson Jérémie Demeyer stated that mediation will continue under the guidance of an external mediator and with the presence of the chairman of the board of directors. No further comments will be made to the press to guarantee the confidentiality and effectiveness of the process.