“Serving others is what drives my commitment”: Laurent Mertz’s vision of a committed staff delegate

For more than two decades, Laurent Mertz has demonstrated a strong and consistent commitment to defending employees within his company and in the financial sector. As president of the employee delegation at Quintet, he has established himself, both within his company and at the national union level, as a respected voice and tireless defender of individual and collective rights.

Laurent joined Quintet (formerly KBL) 27 years ago, initially working in Human Resources, then in Organization, in Luxembourg and Europe, before managing large teams in Settlement. Elected delegate in 2003, he never lost the trust of his colleagues, eventually becoming President of the delegation in 2013, a position he now holds full-time at this private bank with 700 employees.

“I come from a Scouting background, and the principle of serving others is deeply ingrained in me. That's what drives my commitment as a delegate,” he says. This philosophy has guided him in all his missions: defending jobs, supporting training, improving working conditions, and finding respectful and balanced social solutions during more difficult times.

Under his leadership, the Delegation achieved numerous advances: two days of teleworking per week, truly flexible working hours between 6 am and 8 pm, full coverage of medical leave, early retirement options at 75% of salary, and substantial budgets for staff associations. More amusingly, during the energy crisis, he did not hesitate to take symbolic action by distributing fleece jackets emblazoned with the ALEBA logo to his colleagues, even though the instruction was to reduce the temperature in the offices.

However, his primary objective remains unchanged: protecting jobs.

“My top priorities, which I ask all my ALEBA delegates at Quintet to make their own, remain job protection and continuing education, which is essential for long-term employability.”

His union career is closely linked to ALEBA. A member since 2000, he joined the Executive Committee in 2013 and served as Secretary General for eight years. “I like to get things done, preferably quickly, share our ideas, and communicate with people. Together with Sandra Carvalho, I think we have really highlighted ALEBA's work over the years,” he explains, adding that he chose to pass on the torch to spend more time with his family. “Trade unionism is no longer a matter of ‘hiding away,’ and our commitment requires a considerable amount of time, often to the detriment of our loved ones.” In addition to being one of the negotiators of the new collective bargaining agreement in 2018, he also represented the union internationally with UNI Global Union, participating in congresses and union meetings in Europe and beyond. His vision is clear: union membership is a necessity.

“Joining a union means having the assurance that, if necessary, a professional will always be there to defend your individual or collective rights.”

Laurent has also been a member of the Chamber of Employees since 2019, notably as a member of the Committee. Through his participation in committees, he contributes to formulating opinions on a wide range of topics, including employment, pensions, working conditions, health, and mobility. “I was the first to be surprised by the huge scores I achieved at the national level. But that means that once you're elected, you have to roll up your sleeves, get involved, give your opinion, and that's really my commitment to the people who put their trust in me for the CSL.”

With such consistency and an unwavering commitment to solidarity, Laurent Mertz perfectly illustrates what it means to be a delegate: a link between employees and the company, a constructive but firm player, and above all, a pillar of trust for everyone. His commitment is synonymous with a future that continues to focus on defending workers and promoting high-quality social dialogue, values that are essential to ALEBA.