A general strike has been announced in Belgium on 31 March. This was first reported by Le Soir and later confirmed by the socialist trade union FGTB/ABVV and Christian union CSC/ACV.
The strike aims to denounce a series of measures put forth by the Federal Government, which FGTB/ABVV previously described as a "declaration of war" against the entire workforce. Among the issues the unions are protesting for is the protection of automatic wage indexation, pensions, and better working conditions.
National president of liberal union CGSLB/ACLVB, Gert Truyens, had previously confirmed his union would not be joining the general strike plans. "This government was democratically elected and we want to give consultation a chance," he said.
According to Le Soir, access to certain businesses and "economic activity zones" will be blocked.
The announcement comes just one day before a national strike is set to cause major disruption in the country.
The Union of Middle Classes (UCM) has denounced the recent strikes, calling the shutdown of the economy "irresponsible and scandalous." It added that "SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] cannot prosper on the ashes of a battlefield."
For the UCM, such actions "damage the country's image in the eyes of the whole world" and can compromise job creation, slow down international investments and hamper competitiveness. "SMEs need stability not a tug of war," said the UCM. "Social dialogue must be a priority."
