Thales Alenia Space to cut 120 jobs in Belgium

Space company Thales Alenia Space plans to cut 120 jobs in Belgium, trade unions said on Thursday. The cuts will mainly affect the company's plant in Charleroi.

Headquartered in Cannes, France, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between the French technology company Thales Group and the Italian defence group Leonardo. 

Thales Group employs 632 people in the Belgian cities of Charleroi, Hasselt and Leuven. Management informed the unions of the impending job cuts in Belgium during a special works council meeting. 

Workers at the Charleroi site are planning to go on strike on Friday

The reorganisation would mainly affect the company's Charleroi site, which houses its aerospace division.

The job cuts are part of a major restructuring plan for the site, said CNE trade unionist Gérald Scheepmans. Workers at the site are planning to go on strike on Friday, he said.

Thales manufactures space systems, including satellites, for applications such as telecommunications, space exploration and science. The company is a big industrial participant in the International Space Station.

^{Thales Alenia Space's Charleroi site in June 2022 © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE}