Belgian rail’s choice of Spanish train manufacturer sparks union outrage
Belgian trade unions have reacted with disappointment after the national railway company, NMBS/SNCB, selected Spanish train manufacturer CAF as the preferred bidder for a major contract to build hundreds of new trains.
The decision means that Alstom, a French company employing around 3,000 people in Belgium, including at a train assembly plant in Bruges, has lost out. The SNCB defended its choice by saying that EU public procurement rules prohibit favouring local production or reinvestment in the domestic economy.
The contract for the MR30 trains was put out to tender in late 2022, with three companies submitting offers. SNCB ultimately chose to enter exclusive negotiations with CAF, saying the bid offered the best balance between price and quality.
While CAF’s bid was not the cheapest, SNCB said a higher-quality proposal could prevent issues during the contract’s execution.
Unions resist
Unions at Alstom in Bruges expressed frustration over the decision, fearing job losses. “We had counted on this contract for Bruges,” said Christoph Flokman of the ACV Metea metalworkers’ union. “The news hit us like a bomb. We don’t want to become the next Audi Brussels or Van Hool,” he said, referring to recent mass layoffs at those companies.
The unions are urging SNCB to reconsider, pointing out that the contract has not yet been finalised and that Alstom’s offer was reportedly lower in price.
Alstom’s Bruges facility currently assembles M7 train carriages and overhauls locomotives. The M7 contract runs until April 2026, and the company hopes for an extension. The site employs between 700 and 800 workers.
#FlandersNewsService | A train in Brussels © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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