Rail operator needs staff – and quickly

22 August 2005

BRUSSELS — Problems with Belgian train services are threatened in coming months due to recent mass job cuts, forcing rail operator NMBS-SNCB to again recruit more staff.

In the coming months, the national rail operator aims to recruit 129 conductors and 235 train engineers. The recruiting will start in September.

The NMBS-SNCB hopes to have recruited 100 conductors by the end of 2005, spokesman Jochem Goovaerts said.

The recruitment campaign comes after almost no train engineers were taken on in 2004, newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported on Monday.
 
Former director Karel Vinck decided two years ago to cut the number of NMBS-SNCB staff by 3,000 in a massive restructuring operation to cut costs.

There were 1,716 job losses last year, bringing the total number of employees by the end of last year to less then 40,000 for the first time.

By the end of this year, the plan is for the rail operator to have a total workforce of 38,000 workers. 

However, the job cuts have exposed gaps in the organisation, forcing the NMBS-SNCB to recruits supplementary workers. 

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news