Over fifty STIB drivers paid tribute on Wednesday to a 55-year-old colleague who died on Sunday after testing positive for the new coronavirus.
The drivers gathered at the STIB's Delta depot at 1:30 PM. A wreath of flowers was laid next to the driver's photo and a book of condolences was made available to staff members. They marked a minute's silence at 2:00 pm sharp, which was followed by a round of applause.
Although the link between the STIB driver's death and the coronavirus has not yet been established with certainty, the company declared that it was examining the possibility of organising an internal screening campaign "as soon as possible" to reassure its employees.
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The drivers hope to obtain additional prevention measures at the meeting of the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPPT) scheduled for Thursday.
"We are asking for the installation of a plexiglass or tarpaulin to hermetically seal the driver's cabin, as was done for our colleagues from TEC and De Lijn", explained CPPT's Oliver Rittweger. "This is a request that we have been making for weeks and the STIB is refusing."
"Since 11 May, buses and trams have no longer been disinfected on the network, which is also why more than 1,000 drivers exercised their right not to work for six days from 11 to 16 May," he said. "There is also a risk here for travellers." They want buses and trams to be cleaned at each terminal so they are disinfected throughout the day.
"It's also hard to understand why in department stores you have to keep 1.5 metres distance when the buses, trams and subways can be full to bursting point," Rittweger added.
The Brussels Times
