Volkswagen: already 700 voluntary departures at Forest plant in Belgium

Workers of Volkswagen's Forest plant who will agree to leave deliberately will be given a departure bonus of 25 000 to 144 000 euros. An agreement on the matter was concluded on December 8th 2006 between trade union deputations and Volkswagen management. These amounts are exceptional in Belgium. This is why many people are rushing to the occasion. (Ref. 061248)
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By granting to workers a departure bonus equalling one month of gross wage per year of seniority, calculated on the basis of the night team’s wage, VW gives the same amount to workmen than to employees. Belgian employers have always refused to do this. VW goes well beyond the legal basis: a worker who is laid off in Belgium is entitled to a bonus worth 6 months salary maximum. According to trade unions, such departure bonus amounts, for workers with several years of service, to a total amount e

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