Audi Brussels to lay off 371 temporary workers
At Audi Brussels in Forest, 371 temporary workers will lose their jobs, a company spokesperson said on Thursday, following reports in various media. The General Federation of Trade Unions (FGTB) has issued a strike notice. Limited demand for electric models is given as the reason for the redundancies.
In a press release, Audi Brussels spokesperson Peter D'hoore confirmed the news. According to the company, customers are reluctant to buy fully electric vehicles. "As we at Audi Brussels only produce electric cars, we are concerned and have to adjust our production programme."
Franky De Schrijver, chief delegate of the FGTB at Audi Brussels, said it was announced at a works council meeting on Thursday that the production rate would be reduced due to limited demand for electric models.
The plant in Forest is one of the last two remaining car assembly plants in Belgium and employs around 3,000 people and 500 temporary workers. It produces only electric cars.
Production problems
The plant has been suffering from production problems for some time, and its assembly line was shut down for two weeks last month. In February, Audi announced that its new Q8 e-tron luxury SUV would not be built in Brussels but in China and Mexico.
Still, "nobody expected it to happen so soon", says De Schrijver. "There was no preliminary discussion, while the implications are huge." According to De Schrijver, the assembly line is currently shut down.
According to the union, the strike notice will take effect on 8 April. Management has been asked for a consultation next week. The notice applies not only to temporary workers but also to permanent staff.
© BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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