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Monday’s strike to bring country to a standstill

11:17 12/12/2014

The general strike announced for next Monday, 15 December, is likely to bring large areas of Belgium to a standstill. The strike has been called by the country’s main unions in protest at the government’s austerity measures, particularly changes to the pension system, including retirement age.

Belgian rail operator SNCB has said there will possibly be no trains at all because of striking workers, while Brussels Airlines has already cancelled more than 80 flights out of Brussels Airport. International rail services will also be severely disrupted, with no Eurostar trains running between Brussels and London. Thalys services to Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne have also been cancelled for the day.

The situation on the roads is difficult to predict, but road traffic experts believe that many commuters will make plans to work from home, so easing the congestion. There is also confusion in Brussels as to the impact on the public transport network, but Brussels transport authority STIB says that some services could still operate.

Unions originally announced a series of four strike days, ending with a national strike on 15 December. But one union announced earlier this week that the strikes could continue indefinitely into 2015 if demands were not met.

The employers’ federation VBO responded angrily to the announcement, saying that there should be a limit on the right to strike. The organisation has criticised union activists who plan to put up blockades at factory gates and industrial estates to prevent employees getting to work.

“There is a right to strike, but that doesn’t mean that you can do anything you want,” said VBO’s Bart Buysse. “It is illegal to intentionally block the railways, roads or waterways.”

The union for the self-employed (NSZ) has also come out in favour on a limit to the right to strike. “A lot of employees are fed up with the endless strikes because it makes it difficult or impossible to get to work,” said NSZ director Christine Mattheeuws. “The unions are shooting themselves in the foot because their actions are going to lead to more job losses.”

photo courtesy ABVV

Written by Derek Blyth

Comments

Anon2

In French (the other main language of Belgium), the NSZ is the SNI. Reading the Bulletin, which seems to rely heavily on Flemish new sources and journalists, one could be led to believe that Dutch is the only language that matters in Belgium.

Dec 12, 2014 11:53
adyepj

When oh when will the unions take a constructive role in society? All they seem to do is protest and cause damage to the already fragile economy. Anyone with any sense can understand that as life expectancy increases, we simply cannot afford to allow people to retire as early as they used to. I have yet to hear a union leader suggest any constructive solution to anything, they don't seem to want anything to change; that's a Neanderthal point of view. They would serve their members much better by positively engaging in joint problem solving! Shame that seems too much to hope for.
Why they are allowed to block roads, and prevent people from going about their normal business, I do not know. It's time for the government to take a tougher line on the rights of unions to infringe on the liberty of the public at large.

Dec 12, 2014 12:22
NIGEL FARAWAY

I was planning to fly my holiday home in the West Indies on Monday, so this is most inconvenient.

Dec 12, 2014 16:03
Mikek1300gt

It's amusing to see Belgians suggesting they need another Thatcher. They do.

Dutch is the main language of Belgium and those in the Brussels bubble need to get over it.

Dec 12, 2014 18:17
Luke

Mike -- You seem to be forgetting Wallonia..... French is not just spoken in the "Brussels Bubble"

Whilst many of the issues are worthy of protest -- Blocking roads - businesses and closing down the country is not the way -- it will discourage inward investment and cost more jobs -- it also means that a large number of people who might have been sympathetic to some of the complaints -- will just be really annoyed and angry at being prevented from working and many people who have no choice in the matter will be losing a days pay whilst their employers shut down for the day

Dec 12, 2014 18:57
Mikek1300gt

Nope, not forgotten Wallonia. I am however well aware that many in Brussels seem to think French is the language of this country. Brussels is a little planet in the middle of Belgium, more than slightly remote from the rest of the country. But then most capitol cities are similar.
Thing is, most capitol cities do not speak a language that those outside of the city do not. Brussels was a Flemish city, right? OK, I am getting as bad as the locals!

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verfransing_van_Brussel

Dec 12, 2014 19:07
spacebar

This is how it started in the US thirty years ago. Unions being called the bad guys in all this. The end result in 2014 is a permanent underclass working for slave wages with no right to organize or demand what is fair. Belgians should be careful or this will be their children's fate in a decade or two.

Dec 13, 2014 17:19
Mikek1300gt

What is fair? How about preventing people going to work, preventing them from going about their daily lives? Ruining their once a year holiday plans? Is that fair? How about the fairness of ruining the bloody country?
Belgium is fecked if this continues, and it likely will. UK 1975, Belgium 2014. The trades unions are the enemy within. Fair? Belgians already enjoy high standards of living from the workers they hate for making more than them and they want to stop them going to work??
This country is insane and it is already reaping what it sows.

Dec 14, 2014 20:59
acsonline

People can strike IF and WHEN they want to, and this happens to be the same the world over! Honi soit...

Dec 16, 2014 15:24