Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Monday, 31 March, a country-wide general strike will halt operations across all sectors of Belgium to demonstrate opposition against budget reduction policies of the Federal Government.
The entire Belgian nation faces a shutdown on Monday, March 31, because workers from government services and private companies have launched a nationwide general strike against federal budgetary reductions. The nationwide strike has been announced by unions FGTB/ABVV and CSC/ACV, resulting in flight cancellations, stoppages of public transport, and demonstrations throughout Belgium.
The nationwide strike on Monday, March 31, brought together police officers, postal and education professionals, and their unions, along with teachers’ unions, into a single movement that will significantly disrupt transportation and waste management operations and business activities.
The flight operations at Brussels Airport remain shut down entirely until further notice because of absent staff while Charleroi Airport stopped all flights because of work force shortcomings. The company Brussels Airlines operated 90 percent of cancellations on its flights while maintaining some European inbound routes. Airlines encourage their passengers to contact them for options regarding ticket rebookings or refunds.
The STIB/MIVB public transport company expects “major disruptions” in all metro tram and bus operations and will provide service updates directly through the strike day. Reduced public transport schedules run throughout Flanders and Wallonia under De Lijn and TEC supervision, yet SNCB/NMBS has a few trains due to worker participation.
The Brussels waste collection local service will experience delays because staff need time to perform catch-up collections. Residents of Antwerp need to postpone their trash disposal activities according to municipal guidelines. Daycare and school closure possibilities may emerge along with reduced access because 20% of Flemish teaching staff plan to strike.
Cultural sector
The Flemish cultural and arts sector will also strike against planned federal reforms in pensions and unemployment benefits. This will happen simultaneously with the national strike of the trade unions on Monday.
“Pensions, artwork allowance, and wages are being reconsidered. As a union, we cannot let that pass, so we are co-calling for action.”
The artists fear the reforms will have a major effect on pensions and benefits.
“The new government wants art workers to work 156 days a year to be entitled to a full pension. This is impossible for many artists, resulting in sharply reduced pensions.”
Many artists will perform poetry, music, and theatre from 10:00 to 13:00 at Place de la Monnaie in Brussels and from 11:00 to 14:00 at the Operaplein in Antwerp. The programme will include various musical acts, poetry readings and theatre pieces.
Impacted companies
A general strike generates economic impact through the establishment of countrywide picketing by unions. Aperam Steel Factory in Genk and Nike’s distribution center in Laakdal are among the companies that most certainly will shut down.
Some companies choose alternative protest approaches by distributing cactuses to customers at drug distributor Febelco in Sint-Niklaas, while steel construction firm Victor Buyck places work stoppages at its sites in Eeklo and Wondelgem.
Various food stores will keep their front entrance doors locked. The extent of disruption remains unknown, although Carrefour shops in four Antwerp cities (Schoten, Borsbeek, Schilde, and Edegem) and the Lidl store in Balen will close down for a minimum of several hours.
What led to Belgium’s nationwide strike on March 31?
Public servants in Belgium participated in a nationwide strike on March 31 because of widespread opposition to federal legislation that included pension adjustments and service budget reductions. The nationwide stoppage originates from major union groups FGTB/ABVV and CSC/ACV, thereby marking the third extensive labor walkout since the new government coalition formed its administration in late 2023.
The public debt in Belgium represents about 108% of GDP, which has compelled the government to implement spending cuts. The retirement age elevation for specific professions and reduced pension payments remain chief reforms according to labor unions who claim these adjustments harm predominantly low-income employees most harshly. A group comprising teachers, pilots, and public transport employees began their strikes in January and February 2024.
Previous labor walkouts in 2024 witnessed remarkable turnout when 34,000 teachers joined in January, and the February transport shutdown stopped 70% of the Brussels metro system from operating. The upcoming large-scale demonstration on March 31 expects broad-based participation by law enforcement personnel together with postal employees and private-sector employees. The unions predict that wage stagnancy alongside a 3.4% inflation rate will worsen economic disparities if public employees continue to face budget cuts.
