The Proud Turkish-Belgians, Belgian-Turks of Gediflora
There are seven of them. Turkish Belgians. Belgian Turks. Above all, good workers who drive from Charleroi to Oostnieuwkerke in a van every day. Hüseyin Demirhan: “We travel 300 kilometers back and forth every day to go to work. That means spending four hours in the car. Is this exceptional? I know people who work even further away from home.”
Ethem Katkaya is the only one who moved to a village close by a couple of years ago. Hüseyin on the other hand thought about it, but has never done so. “My wife, our family, we are rooted in Charleroi. The children are growing up there so there is always a reason not to move. In the meantime, the years go by, and at one point you realize you have been commuting for 27 years.”
The group of workers from Charleroi was even larger at one point. “There has been a time we had to commute using two vans. Up to 18 people from Charleroi and the surroundings. People have left and others have joined us, but this group of seven is a stable factor in the company.
It is a good group that has acquired extensive experience in the meantime. And we are hard workers, you can be sure of that. When we start something, we see it through. Needless to say, after all these years, we know the company and the industry through and through.”
Source: Achter de Schermen
Gediflora
Schierveldestraat 14
B-8840 Oostnieuwkerke
T: +32 (0)51 26 88 88
Fax: +32 (0)51 22 22 49
Belgium
E: info@gediflora.be
www.gediflora.be