Sint-Pieters-Woluwe (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Alderman Carla Dejonghe helped at Sint-Pieters-Woluwe daycare during a strike, assisting with feeding and care, supporting parents affected by staff shortages while respecting striking workers’ rights.
As VRT News reported, the municipal daycare centre in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, in Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium, faced problems today, Oct 14, 2025, as staff joined a nationwide strike. Caregivers protested government plans, including cuts to night shift pay and changes to pensions.
They mentioned that many parents were left in a difficult situation. Some do not have enough vacation days, others lack family or friends to help, and self-employed parents cannot take the day off. To support the daycare, Alderman Carla Dejonghe stepped in to help with daily activities.
What led Alderman Carla Dejonghe to help Sint-Pieters-Woluwe daycare?
Dejonghe’s late mother worked for years as the director of the city’s daycare centres in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe. Using her mother’s former colleagues, Carla brought a few to help for the day. She joined in caring for the children and assisting with the centre’s routine.
“The chicken is boiled in water, not roasted, because it has too much fat. I didn’t like that, but it is healthier.”
Councillor Carla Dejonghe (Open VLD)
Alderman Carla Dejonghe worked in the kitchen and other areas and learned about the daily tasks of the staff.
“They’ve saved me from a few accidents here. For example, I was ready to add salt to the potatoes, but the children aren’t allowed to because it’s unhealthy. The chicken, on the other hand, is boiled in water, not roasted, because it has too much fat on it. I didn’t like that at all, but it’s healthier. So I’m learning a lot.”
Dejonghe said the experience gave her a better understanding of daycare work.
“As an alderman, you usually visit for a short time, half an hour at most. You cannot see the full routine,”
she said.
“Today I was here from early morning. I saw that keeping children occupied is not easy. The staff does a fantastic job. They arrange toys so babies learn to crawl or grab objects. Children have to take off their coats themselves. There is so much more to this work than I realised.”
Similar initiatives took place elsewhere. In Steenokkerzeel, Mayor Kurt Ryon and Youth Alderman Hannelore Velaerts spent the day teaching at the Piramide School. Teachers at the school were also on strike. The local officials stepped in to ensure children could continue learning.
Ryon:
“A few teachers (seven in total, ed.) were going on strike, and there was a risk we would have to close classes. That would mean children would have to stay home, and parents would have to arrange childcare. I thought that was a shame and suggested I step in for a day with Hannelore. After all, we’re both trained teachers.”
On May 22, 2025, workers in the care, welfare, and sociocultural sectors in Brussels went on strike. They demanded more resources and better conditions for their work. During the strike, local officials joined in to show support and help maintain services.
