Train manufacturer Alstom plans to make 150 of its Bruges workers redundant. The management announced the news during a special works council meeting. Alstom Bruges employs 585. “There are far too few orders to keep everyone in work” management says.
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French train manufacturer Alstom plans to sack 150 workers at Bruges plant due to insufficient orders
Colin Clapson
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487 staff are permanent employees, while 98 are temporary staff. Alstom now plans to lay off 150 permanent employees, at the earliest in mid-2026. The company also wants to see if it can transfer people within the Alstom group.
Alstom has another factory in Belgium, in Charleroi. “The company's intentions for Bruges will have no impact on the level of employment or activities at the Charleroi site,” Alstom said in a statement.
Missing out on a mega order for Belgian rail company NMBS
There has been considerable concern among the unions about the future of the Bruges site for some time. This is because Alstom missed out on a large order for Belgium’s state-owned rail operator NMBS earlier this year. The company had wanted to build these trains in Bruges. However, it is its Spanish competitor CAF that will be building the new trains for the Belgian railways.
Since that decision was made before the summer, the unions have been worried that Alstom would cut jobs in Bruges because there aren't enough orders. Alstom is now saying that's the reason for the restructuring. “The company has to adapt to market realities and adjust its resources accordingly” it noted.