Dozens of flights were canceled at Brussels airport on Monday, not even two-thirds of the trains are running, and public mass transport has also been severely limited. It’s about the consequences national strike for better pensionswhich they organized the main trade union headquarters in Belgium. This is reported by the Brussels correspondent TASR based on Belgian media reports.
RTBF TV station reminded that the strike is accompanied by a massive demonstration by trade unionists in Brusselspart of a wider series of protests aimed at putting pressure on negotiators for the next federal government. The five parties involved in the negotiations have not been able to agree on the formation of a government for seven monthswhile the subject of the dispute is mainly budgetary issues and pension reform.
The three largest trade unions in Belgium – Socialist (FGTB), Christian Democratic (CSC) and Liberal (CGSLB) – through a national strike, they condemn the plans of the forming government coalition, which, according to them, threaten citizens’ pensions.
CSC general secretary Marie-Helene Skaová told RTBF that none of the five negotiating parties objected against plans to save at least three billion euros on pensions. According to her, railway workers and also certain categories of civil servants are most at risk they currently have the option of retiring a bit earlier.
In the transport sector the protest is most felt at the Zaventem airport in Brusselswhich is the largest in the country. On Monday, the airport canceled 40 percent of flights, both departures and arrivals, which was confirmed by the spokeswoman of the company operating the airport.
According to her, airlines must adapt its traffic after reducing available staff between baggage handlers and security personnel. Brussels Airlines said on Saturday (11/1) it had been forced to cancel 50 percent of its European flights as a precaution to maintain long-haul flights.
Even at Charleroi Airport, the second largest airport in the country, on Monday, he expects significant flight delays and the cancellation of several of them is not excluded.
Teachers also joined the nationwide protests, especially in Flanderswho are equally worried about the reduction of their pensions. Several schools are closed in Brussels and called a protest against the planned pension reform according to trade unions, tens of thousands of teachers should be supported.
