Rail bosses urged to waive severance pay

The federal minister for public enterprise , Jean-Pascal Labille, has called on the two bosses of Belgian railway operator SNCB, Jannie Haek and Marc Descheemaecker to waive their contractual severance pay, seeing as they both found other positions in the public sector. "I expect loyalty and ethics, especially if they find a job in a public company ," the minister told the VRT last night. According to MP Stefaan Van Hecke, Descheemaecker’s and Haek’s severance pay amounts to €900,000 and €750,000 respectively. Haek never considered accepting any severance pay, he told the Flemish broadcaster as he began his new job as head of the National Lottery. While he sees contractual severance packages as a form of protection, he is adamant that it never entered his mind to accept any severance pay on top of his salary at the National Lottery. Descheemaecker, for his part, is set to become the new head of Brussels Airport.