NGO workers joined a nationwide strike against austerity on Monday. Awareness about social spending cuts is increasing among international employees, as is determination to stop them from going ahead.
On Monday, trade unions once again mobilised against the Federal Government's plans to reroute €23 billion in social spending to fill the budgetary deficit the 'Arizona' coalition views as Belgium's number one problem.
The opposition movement gained a new player on Monday, seeing its first ever 'NGO Picket' outside Mundo Madou, a non-profit space in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
Non-profit workers' picket line at Madou Mundo on 31 March 2025. Credit: The Brussels Times
Can Kaya of the European Public Service Union (EPSU) says the initiative aims to engage expats in Belgian social affairs as well as protest against Arizona's measures. EPSU has launched the 'Fair-CSO' project, which aims to strengthen links between NGOs and trade unions.
"NGO workers mostly come from abroad. Sometimes they don't speak the language so it is not easy to navigate the Belgian political system," he told The Brussels Times.
However, expats have the same chances of needing social assistance as any other employee in Belgium. Anyone can have an accident at any point in time, and Bart De Wever's government is cracking down on long-term illness benefits among other things.
"This is a governmental attack against everyone," said Marie Lemeland, Permanent Secretary at trade union CNE. "NGO workers in Brussels are often expats and not necessarily aware of Belgian law, but everyone will be impacted by the Arizona measures at one time or another."
'It just doesn't make sense'
Kalianne Farren is Irish and works for the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD). She has never been on strike in Belgium before, but after reading about Arizona's policies she decided she had to get involved.
"We are relatively highly taxed [in Belgium], but the healthcare system is amazing, the social welfare system is amazing, the unemployment benefits are amazing [...] So it stings less when there is a cause-and-effect relationship," she says. "But now that this is under threat, it just doesn't make sense to me anymore."
Farren is mainly concerned about a reduction in stipends for part-time workers. Many of her colleagues are mothers who are in a part-time role in order to balance work with childcare. Arizona is planning to redefine "actual work", meaning that "non-linear" careers will struggle more to access a pension. An individual must have worked at least 156 days every year for the unit of time to count.
Protestor holds sign at national strike on 31 March 2025. Credit: The Brussels Times
Another young female protestor highlights the disproportionate impact of cuts on women. A German national, she points out that austerity "affects expats as well".
"The language barrier and other factors means that sometimes you forget that government measures are affecting you as well," she told The Brussels Times. "I work for a European NGO and sometimes I feel a bit disconnected from the workers' rights movement. I moved to Belgium 1.5 years ago and sometimes the system is a bit complicated as an outsider. The protests have helped me to understand what’s going on."
'Many people will be made redundant'
Barbara Caracciolo is Coordinator of International Cooperation and Sustainable Development at SOLIDAR, an NGO working at the EU level. For her, NGO workers have a duty to strike because of income cuts to their sector but also as individuals.
"NGOs are here not because they are looking at themselves, they are here as citizens because Arizona's plan will affect pensions, maternity and paternity leave, unemployment benefits [...] Also, we know that many people, particularly in the NGO sector, will be made redundant in the next months."
Caracciolo is referring to the decision to cut foreign aid by 25%. Coupled with USAID cuts, the sector is likely facing a challenging period.
"Many European NGO workers are non-Belgian and sometimes feel that whatever the Belgian Government does does not concern them. This is incorrect. Anyone can experience unemployment, even for a short period."
Marie Lemeland, Permanent Secretary at trade union CNE. Credit: The Brussels Times
The big question: will the strikes make a difference? Lemeland of CNE is optimistic. She points out that demonstrations during government negotiations took indexation and harsher pension measures out of the final agreement.
"If everyone stops working today, the country can't function," she said. "The idea is to show the government that if the workers stop, the country stops."
Following a "good conversation" with Finance and Pensions Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) in the evening, trade unions acknowledged this "first step" but added that "other actions will undoubtedly follow."
