Ten years after the closure of Renault's Vilevorde plant, Volkswagen is restructuring its Belgian site of Forest, close to Brussels, where the Golf model is predominantly produced. The production of this car will be relocated in Germany, in the Mosel and Wolfsburg plants. For the moment, the Polo will stay in Forest but employees fear the site will close sooner or later. Unions and authorities are taking action to preserve the site and as many jobs as possible. (Ref. 061176)
On November 21st, the announcement of the shedding of almost 4,000 jobs created profound emotion among Forest’s 5,400 employees as well as among subcontractors, for who employment losses are estimated between 2,000 and 5,000. This reorganization has an impact on the entire country: 28% of employees are Walloons (mainly coming from the Hainaut,) 56% are Flemish, and 6% inhabitants of Brussels.
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