Last working day for 40 workers at Vasco in Rotem: “Left to work in tears” (Dilsen-Stokkem)

Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The clock shows 4 p.m. A few minutes later a lady jumps on her bicycle in the large hall of Vasco. Tears roll down her cheeks. Trembling, she leaves the site on her bicycle where she entered through the gate for many years with a smile. Today it’s different. It was her last day at work. Many workers try to encourage their colleagues, but for them too these are the last minutes at Vasco.

Forty of them had to leave the company on Wednesday. “24 workers have already been made redundant in recent weeks,” says Salva Lobue. “I have enjoyed working here for 18 years. Vasco is a company where colleagues are one big family. I came to work today with a bone feeling. And yes, I shed a tear this morning too. Getting up to start the last day of work without knowing what the future holds is difficult. I have a family with two children. Dad has to look for new work. It’s a shame that it all turned out this way. It is a result of takeovers by multinationals. The Chinese Midea is the new owner. For those who are allowed to stay, I hope the future will be brighter.”

Three children

Nino Schembre has been working at Vasco for 29 years. “I started as a welder in September 1995. Later I started working in the powder department. I have a family with three children: two are continuing their studies at university and one is still going to secondary school. I hope to find another job, but it will be starting all over again. What a bad day today…”

“I can stay,” one worker mutters. “But I also have a bad feeling. I lose my comrades and the family bond is gone. Many of us have worked on that strong bond for years. We are now part of a multinational with 190,000 workers. Vasco is just a small company.”

Vasco’s management announced in July 2023 its intention to transfer the production of radiators from Rotem to the Czech Republic. During this operation, 70 and later 64 of the more than 200 jobs would be cut. All blue-collar jobs, because the 70 white-collar workers were left out of harm’s way.

Severance compensation

In addition to the statutory severance payment, the social plan provides a seniority premium of approximately 2,000 euros per full year of work for each worker.

Vasco was founded in the 1970s by the well-known Limburg entrepreneur and former chairman of KRC Genk Jos Vaessen. “During that period, the radiators were made at home in their own village,” says a worker. “Belgium is too expensive. The radiators will continue to exist, but they will come from the Czech Republic in the future. Wages are a lot lower there.”