Striking rail workers are allowed to block tracks, court rules

The operator of Belgium's rail network has failed in a legal attempt to stop workers from blocking railway lines when they go on strike.

Infrabel, which runs the tracks infrastructure on behalf of the SNCB, had taken a group of staff to court after they brought services to a standstill last September.

The company was seeking a court order that would ban any protest action on the tracks, with fines of €2,000 per person per incident in case of non-compliance.

L'Echo newspaper reports that a court in Antwerp has thrown out the claim, with the judge siding with the workers, who have a legal right to strike.

Infrabel was ordered to pay all the court costs associated with the case.

A national rail strike is due to take place in Belgium this Friday, October 9.

Photo: Jules Grandgagnage/Wikimedia. Licensed under Creative Commons