Stamping also means less pay. This is not good news for the 830 workers in Ostend, say the unions.
Joachim Droogenbroot (ABVV-Metaal): “The concern among workers has only increased since yesterday. There was already great concern. We as a group think that it is important for 2025 that we can enforce guarantees. By enforcing I mean that we can discuss a certain future perspective for our company in Ostend at the negotiating table.”
Temporary contracts were already stopped last year. Daikin is doing everything it can to boost sales of air conditioning and heat pumps again. Although the future is difficult to predict, Daikin hopes that sales will increase somewhat next year and that permanent employees can continue to work.
“Rundancies are indeed not an option at the moment,” the management says. “We do think that we will have to continue with temporary unemployment to some extent next year. In any case, there is a natural attrition every year. People who retire and others, approximately 50 employees.” – And they won’t be replaced? “Indeed, the policy is not to replace those people.”