Air Liquide Workers Strike in Seraing Over Job Cut Conditions
Workers at Air Liquide’s Seraing site in Belgium walked off the job on Tuesday, mounting a picket line to protest the terms of a restructuring plan that threatens dozens of positions at the industrial gas giant’s Belgian operations. The strike marks the latest escalation in a months-long dispute between unions and management over severance conditions and job security.
Background of the Restructuring
Air Liquide, the French multinational industrial gas company founded in 1902, first announced a strategic restructuring of its Belgian operations in November 2025. According to RTBF, an extraordinary works council confirmed 61 job cuts across the company’s Belgian workforce of approximately 700 employees. The cuts include 28 positions in the Large Industries division and 33 in the Merchant Businesses division, with the Baudour site slated for production shutdown and the Seraing site facing automation-driven job losses.
The restructuring is part of a broader European reorganization, with 462 positions being eliminated across the continent as the company adapts its production capacity to what it describes as “a difficult competitive position” and “a rapidly changing European market.”
Escalation to Strike Action
Tensions came to a head on May 11, 2026, when workers at the Ghlin, Marchienne-au-Pont, and Seraing sites went on strike. The CSC union described the situation as “alarming,” noting the “untenable paradox” of a global leader in the energy transition sacrificing its most experienced workforce while reporting record financial results. The union also highlighted that negotiations had saved five jobs initially slated for elimination, arguing that “layoffs are not a technical inevitability.”
On May 19, the Seraing site held a fresh strike and picket line. Union delegate Robert Cherpion (CNE) criticized management’s proposals as “largely insufficient and disconnected from the reality of the labor market,” according to RTBF.
Union Demands and Negotiations
The unions are pushing for a comprehensive social plan that includes maximizing voluntary departures with enhanced packages, exploring alternatives such as reduced working hours and internal retraining, and securing supra-legal severance indemnities. They are also demanding decent working conditions for remaining staff who face increased workloads.
“We sincerely hope management will take into account the strong messages sent by staff,” Cherpion said. “We call on them to move beyond their accounting posture and demonstrate a true spirit of social responsibility.”
Negotiations between unions and management were scheduled for May 19, with workers demanding commitments for employees aged 50 and above, who face a particularly difficult job market for seniors in Wallonia.
Financial Context and Criticism
The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of strong financial performance at Air Liquide. The company reported a net profit of €3.52 billion with rising dividends, and its stock showed robust performance as of early 2026. Unions have seized on this profitability to argue that the job cuts are driven by corporate strategy rather than financial necessity.
Several affected sites, including Ghlin and Seraing, are classified as Seveso high-risk industrial facilities, and unions have warned that understaffing could create safety risks. The DH Les Sports+ noted that the restructuring “strikes the Walloon social fabric head-on,” with affected workers predominantly aged 50 and above facing limited reemployment prospects in a region that has experienced significant deindustrialization.
Broader Implications
The Air Liquide dispute reflects wider tensions in European industrial labor relations, where companies pursuing automation and cost optimization clash with workforces demanding social protections. The company’s decision to move some administrative functions to a Business Service Center in Lisbon, Portugal, has further fueled criticism that the restructuring prioritizes cost-cutting over local employment.
As negotiations continue, the outcome at Air Liquide’s Belgian sites could set a precedent for how the company handles its broader European restructuring, and for how other industrial firms balance profitability with social responsibility in regions with aging industrial workforces.
What to Watch For
With the Seraing site reportedly operating with half its normal workforce, the coming days will be critical. If negotiations fail to produce a satisfactory social plan, further strike action could escalate across Air Liquide’s Belgian operations. The company’s response to union demands will signal whether it is willing to invest in retaining experienced workers or will proceed with the planned reductions.