The three main trade unions in Belgium are once again organising a large-scale protest in Brussels, causing disruption. One union confirmed to The Brussels Times that this marks the first of many demonstrations.
The Joint Trade Union Front – socialist ABVV/FGTB, liberal ACLVB/CGSLB, and Christian ACV/CSC unions – is organising a national demonstration on Thursday 13 February to denounce several elements of the new 'Arizona' Federal Government agreement. Protesters will gather near the Brussels-North railway station from 10:30, and march to Brussels-Midi.
"We are expecting a large turnout. Unions are actively calling on members to take to the streets," Günther Blauwens, president of the Flemish railway union ACOD Spoor, told The Brussels Times.
Blauwens predicts that even more people will be taking part in the action this week. The previous protests were in response to leaked information, but concrete proposals have now been confirmed. "There is even more anger now; many feel cheated."
Unions are aiming to double the 30,000 participants who took to the streets of Brussels as part of the 13 January protest. This resulted in cancelled trains, planes and metros, and empty classrooms.
Disruption expected
Train services will continue as usual, as the ACOD Spoor has not submitted a strike request to national railway operator SNCB. "We are doing this in solidarity to get as many protesters as possible into Brussels," said Blauwens.
SNCB warned commuters that it expects many passengers on the trains to and from Brussels. "We recommend you plan your journey before your departure via our website or app," the national railway operator noted.
Brussels public transport operator STIB expects staff to strike on Thursday, spokesperson Laurent Vermeersch told The Brussels Times. During January's strike, only Metro line 1 was running and several tram and bus lines were disrupted. "We encourage people to seek alternative solutions for their travel in Brussels," Vermeersch added.
A message about the strike at the Louise metro station in 2018. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
In Flanders, public transport operator De Lijn will also be affected as its unions are also taking part in the action. "Because of this, fewer bus and tram services will be operating across the region on Thursday," the company noted in a statement. It is developing an alternative service, which will be published on its website on Tuesday.
Finally, Wallonia's public transport operator TEC has also said routes will be cancelled due to the lack of staff." We will be able to inform passengers of the cancelled routes in the early hours of Thursday 13 February, subject to the information it receives," it noted on its website. "We recommend that our passengers consider an alternative for their journeys."
Bpost postal workers are also expected to go on strike. Fewer education personnel will mobilise than in January, meaning schools will not be affected to the same extent.
Finally, Brussels' rubbish collection services Bruxelles-Propreté is asking residents and shopkeepers in the municipalities where rubbish is scheduled to be collected on the evening of Wednesday 12 February and on the day and evening of Thursday 13 February not to put their bags out on the street, as services will likely be disrupted.
"Instead, put them out for the next collection, to avoid the bags remaining on the street for too long."
Flights cancelled
Brussels Airport initially confirmed that no passenger flights will be departing at all. "To ensure the safety of passengers and staff, we have decided, in consultation with the airlines, not to operate any departing passenger flights on 13 February," the airport noted in a statement, adding arriving flights may also be disrupted.
Due to the lack of staff present to ensure operations run safely, all flights scheduled to depart from Brussels-South Airport in Charleroi have also been cancelled. Only incoming Schengen flights were initially scheduled to operate.
However, on Tuesday, unions at Belgium's air traffic controller, Skeyes, confirmed they were joining Thursday's strike between 06:45 and 22:15. This means that no flights to or from Belgium will be operating, except humanitarian flights. This also affects people with connecting flights in Belgium.
Finally, the demonstration will result in road closures along the route. The City of Brussels/Ixelles police zone has not yet confirmed the exact route. The police will inform the public on social media sometime before 13 February.
This demonstration marks the third demonstration under the unions' Arizona Action Plan, occurring on the 13th day of each month. Blauwens confirmed this marks the start of many protests following the formation of a new Federal Government. The ABVV previously told La Libre that it was the "beginning of a marathon of protests."
