Belgium is set for further disruption from 24 to 26 November, as trade unions call for a three-day national strike, a move that could cost the Walloon economy €100 million per day, according to a report by Sudinfo.
Rail unions CGSP Cheminots, CSC Transcom and SLFP Cheminots have urged staff to begin a 72-hour walkout from 10 p.m. on 23 November. The action follows Tuesday's announcement by the FGTB, CSC and CGSLB of a coordinated national strike to protest what they describe as the government’s "social dismantling".
The strike will have a heavy financial impact, said Frédéric Panier, CEO of AKT (formerly the Walloon Employers' Union). "With around 20% of workers expected to join the strike, a rate neither high nor low by historical standards, the cost to the Walloon economy will reach €100 million per day," he told Sudinfo.
Panier warned that companies operating under just-in-time systems, such as logistics and industrial production, would be hardest hit. "If you fail to deliver on the day, that can mean losing contracts permanently," he said.
"It's not by blocking the economy that we'll make progress," Panier added.
He described the strikes as a significant threat to Wallonia's fragile economy. "Three days of action could cause serious harm, and repeated or extended strikes would deter future investment. Union leaders must recognise the risk they are taking with the Belgian and Walloon economies," he warned.
The timing of the walkouts, just before the end-of-year shopping period, is particularly sensitive, he added. "We already struggle to keep e-commerce logistics chains in Belgium. If customers hear there will be no deliveries for three days, they’ll go elsewhere."
The Union of Self-Employed Workers (UCM), representing SMEs and freelancers, echoed the concerns. "A three-day strike of this scale is disastrous for the image of the Belgian and Walloon economies," said spokesperson Antonio Solimando. "Each day of the strike means lost business that may never be recovered, and job interviews are cancelled. For small firms, the absence of just one or two staff members can have a major impact."
Union leaders have pushed back strongly against the criticism.
"This is a direct attack on the right to strike," said Thierry Bodson, president of the FGTB. "The economic argument has been used for years. Yes, a strike hurts the economy; that's how you show that workers must be listened to. People are angry, and this three-day strike will be historic. We can't afford to back down now."
