The majority of staff at the Haren and Saint-Gilles prisons in the Brussels region began a strike at 22:00 on Sunday, initiated by the ACOD-CGSP and CSC unions.
The strike aims to secure better working conditions and is expected to last until 22:00 on Monday, with further actions possible. A national consultation with the General Directorate of Penitentiary Establishments (DG EPI) and national union representatives is scheduled for Tuesday.
The strike is a response to chronic staff shortages, excessive work pressure, and the lack of support and respect for staff, according to ACOD representative Robby De Kaey. He stated that 90% of Haren staff and 85% of Saint-Gilles staff are striking on Monday.
Last weekend, the DG EPI reportedly communicated that new detainees should now be incarcerated in Flanders or Wallonia, citing overcrowding in Brussels prisons. This announcement has contributed to the strike in Haren and Saint-Gilles, De Kaey believes.
The unions are urgently calling for increased staffing and a buffer against overcrowding through additional recruitment. De Kaey also advocates opening an additional wing at Saint-Gilles to ease staff workload.
"We also demand an end to the sense of impunity and a strong signal against inmate aggression towards staff," De Kaey stated. Since Haren prison opened, there have been three assaults on guards, three deaths, and two cell fires.
De Kaey hinted that the 24-hour strike might extend to 48 hours in the future.
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The DG EPI confirmed the ongoing strike in the Brussels region and mentioned action at Turnhout prison. "The strike is widely supported at both Saint-Gilles and Haren. Police are assisting in both facilities. Inmates are confined to their cells with no activities planned," they said.
A national consultation with all sector union delegates is planned for Tuesday. "We would prefer to await this meeting and refrain from responding to union demands via the media," commented Kathleen Van De Vijver, spokesperson for the prison administration.
