Belgian news in brief, 20 January 2006

Foreign employers breaching social laws

A majority of foreign firms that employ cheap foreign labour in Belgium operate in breach of social legislation, the federal bureau against illegal labour and social fraud said. “Most of the workers are paid too little and the social security regulations are breached,” bureau spokesman Didier Verbeke said. Moreover, an increasing number of foreign firms are employing cheap foreign labour in Belgium. Most of the workers come from Eastern Europe.

InBev agrees social plan for job cuts

Belgian brewer InBev has reached a deal with unions over a proposed social plan for 45 sacked workers at its headquarters in Leuven. Unions will present the plan to members on Monday. InBev scrapped 60 jobs in Leuven in October as part of a plan to cut 232 jobs in Belgium.

Gas leak scare at Brugge school

A gas leak at a secondary school in Brugge forced the temporary evacuation of 1,100 students on Friday morning. The gas had leaked from a furnace. The school was also the scene of a gas leak two years ago.

Subject: Belgian news