Four police unions are threatening a walkout on Friday 26 August, according to spokesperson Joery Dehaes of ACV Police.
"The workload is so high that the inspectors can no longer sleep at night after their shift," said Dehaes, who added that the unions have already asked Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) to remove a savings plan for the areas in question because it would jeopardize security.
"We had hoped that people would open their eyes, but we were told that the Council of Ministers has made the decision and that they will stick to it," said Dehaes.
Poor working conditions
In a written announcement, the unions say that the night shift in Zaventem should be abolished due to working conditions. Inspectors must work long shifts of at least 10 hours.
"Inspectors have to work in the control boxes for 8 hours without a break. The workload is so high that the inspectors can no longer sleep at night after their shift. There are inspectors who drive home crying and someone is in intensive care after a heart failure," said Dehaes.
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The unions are activating a strike notice for all airports in Belgium in which ACV police are active. The notice is set for the period from Friday 26 August to Sunday 4 September. The unions have yet to decide which actions to follow through with, although they are also considering taking legal action.
The trade unions believe that there are risks in simply cancelling shifts, especially at the smaller airports. "You simply cannot carry out certain assignments with just two or three agents," said Dehaes.
