Around 25% out of 360 jobs are at stake at multinational Interparking, part of AG Real Estate. The company – active in 450 cities in 9 European countries – wants to cut 95 jobs in Antwerp (9 car parks / 3,476 places), Brussels (23 car parks / 13,531 places) and at Brussels Airport (10 car parks /12,360 places), Interparking CEO Roland Cracco told Belgian press agency Belga.
The intention for collective dismissal was announced by the management on Monday evening during a special works council. The CEO has six reasons for the downturn:
- a significant drop in air traffic at Brussels Airport and no recovery is expected in the short or medium term,
- less movement of European officials to/from Brussels,
- fewer commuters as more companies prefer to work from home,
- restrictions of car traffic in the city of Brussels discourages travel to/from the city,
- the recent curfew in Antwerp has strongly reduced the attractiveness of that city,
- next to the coronavirus, digitisation plays a key role as the company can manage parking lots remotely.
The Renault process, a legally mandatory consultation period necessary when employers make redundancies, has been started. Negotiations with the unions are due to start in November.
