The Sunday Shift That Sparked a Walkout: Aldi’s Belgian Plan Tests Labor Law as Germany Misses a Key EU Benchmark

Aldi Belgium faces strikes over Sunday openings; unions cite illegal afternoon trading. Germany also sees labor friction: EU pay directive lapse, Verdi warnings, pension demands.

A push by Aldi to open all its Belgian stores on Sunday mornings has triggered strikes, blocked entrances, and an escalating legal clash with unions. The discounter wants doors open from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., citing shifting shopper habits and pressure from rivals such as Carrefour and Delhaize that already trade on Sundays. Work would be voluntary, Aldi promises, with financial bonuses or extra vacation days as sweeteners.

Unions are not buying it. ACV Puls argues that operating after noon on a Sunday is illegal under Belgian labour law. While Belgium scrapped the obligation for weekly store closures on April 24, 2026, specific Sunday trading restrictions remain in force. Another flashpoint: staffing. According to the union, Aldi intends to run each Sunday shift with just one permanent employee and one student.

Tensions spilled into the streets in late April, when strike waves shut down more than 50 stores. Most recently, staff in Sint-Job-in-’t-Goor blocked the entrance with shopping carts. A fresh round of talks between Aldi and worker representatives is scheduled for June 29. Rival Lidl, meanwhile, is reportedly planning Sunday openings at 150 Belgian locations.

Across the border, Germany faces its own labour friction. The federal government let the June 7 deadline for implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive lapse, meaning the country is now in violation of European law and faces a possible infringement procedure. The directive aims to close the gender pay gap: Germany’s stands at 15.6%, well above the EU average of 11.1%. Family Minister Karin Prien has promised a low-bureaucracy transposition. Austria is further along; Labour Minister Korinna Schumann has tabled a draft requiring companies with 100 or more employees to submit income reports.

German retail and wholesale sectors are also simmering. On June 6, the Verdi union called nationwide warning strikes, drawing more than 10,000 workers in cities including Berlin, Bochum and Ingolstadt. Verdi demands a 7% wage increase over 12 months; employers have offered 3.4% to 3.5% over two years.

Separately, DGB chairwoman Yasmin Fahimi has called for a mandatory, employer-funded company pension for all workers. Roughly 20 million employees currently have no occupational retirement plan. Concrete proposals are due by the end of June, coinciding with a report from the government’s pension commission on June 29. The Mittelstandsunion, representing mid-sized firms, rejects any additional cost burdens on businesses.