Teachers at the European schools in Brussels are organising several strike actions in the coming months to demand equal rights for locally recruited staff, who have no job stability, unfair contracts and no union representation.
Unlike seconded teachers (détachés) from EU Member States, Locally Recruited Teachers (LRTs) do not benefit from job security, fair salary structures, or proper career progression – leaving them vulnerable to sudden job losses, contract reductions, and unpredictable working hours.
"The seconded teachers are sent via the educational institutions of the European countries. They can teach in a European school for up to ten years," Tom Holvoet, union secretary of the Christian trade union ACV Puls told The Brussels Times. "On a day-to-day basis, locally recruited teachers do the same job. But they are often seen as a sort of reserve workforce."
While locally recruited staff should only make up a maximum of 30% of the workforce, the balance tips more towards 50-50 in Brussels' six European schools. "In practice, nearly 60% are locally recruited teachers compared to just over 40% seconded ones."
No progress
Every new school year, European schools call on the Member States to send in as many seconded teachers as possible to get the ratio closer to the average. "But they have been doing that for years and the locally recruited teachers remain the main workforce in Brussels."
In practice, when a seconded teacher arrives, locally recruited teachers lose working hours – or their jobs – and have no say in the process. "There is nothing in their contracts to stop this happening at short notice. Working hours (and therefore pay) can vary throughout the school year with or without their agreement – meaning that nothing protects their income so they can continue to pay housing or bills."
Holvoet explained that while these locally recruited teachers are often treated as second-rate as a result of this system, they are often international and highly qualified.
"They come to Brussels, start a life, buy a house and three years later they have lost half their salary. How should they organise their life then?" he said. "We have been trying to raise this point since 2018. And while the schools are not completely deaf to our demands, no progress has been made."
Primary classroom during the opening of the fourth European School in the Brussels Region, in Laken-Laeken (24 October 2012). Credit: Belga/Laurie Dieffembacq
For Holvoet, the way to solve this is by treating all teachers equally, no matter what their statute is. "What the system is within which you are appointed should not make a difference in how secure you are in your job and what your working days look like."
Therefore, the union and locally recruited teachers have planned a series of actions aimed at gaining parity of basic rights with other European employees, in particular acceptance by European School management teams that they must be prepared to discuss the conditions of their employment with representatives of their unions.
"Only when this simple goal has been achieved can the European Schools hope to effect any of the changes outlined in the last CULT Committee report," they said in an action plan, seen by The Brussels Times.
Series of strikes
The teachers demand that the European Schools fully respect "European values and workers’ rights" and acknowledge the right to establish union representation and accept professional union support in the school.
They also want to ensure proper protection and facilities for representatives to carry out their duties, grant the right to engage in collective bargaining for better working conditions, and invest in the status of locally recruited teachers, ensuring the stability needed for a decent life in the heart of Europe.
Therefore, teachers organised a "breakfast club" action in early February, during which they handed out flyers to parents at the school gate. A second action will take place on Thursday 20 February, when they will strike for two periods.
On Wednesday 19 March, a half-day strike will take place. "The plan is to walk from Schuman to the Secretary-General's offices to make some noise," Holvoet said. Lastly, on Tuesday 1 April, a full-day strike will take place.
