Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – IVAGO workers in Drongen and Gentbrugge are on strike today, 24 April 2025, due to solidarity with OCMW workers, affecting trash collection and some childcare services. ACOD union members mostly continue working.
The recycling parks in Drongen and Gentbrugge are closed on April 24, 2025, because of a strike. The workers who collect the trash who work for IVAGO are on strike. This strike is part of a bigger strike that is affecting workers in the public sector. The strike was started by workers at the OCMWS (Public Centres for Social Welfare).
Many workers in the public sector, including those who work at IVAGO, have the right to strike. The strike is also affecting some childcare services in the city, but it is not clear how much. Other city services are not affected by the strike. Most public sector workers are still working.
Why are IVAGO workers in Ghent striking in solidarity with OCMW employees?
The ACOD, a union representing many public sector employees, has expressed understanding for the solidarity shown in other sectors but emphasised that the primary focus of the strike is on OCMW employees. The ACOD clarified that the majority of its members in other sectors are continuing to work despite the ongoing strike action.
As a result, the disruption remains mostly contained to the OCMW sector, with minimal impact on the broader city services. They mentioned that the union’s primary aim is to address specific issues within the OCMWS, while most other services continue to function normally.
“Elsewhere, it concerns individuals, the majority of ACOD
members in other public services do work,” the Union says.
A month ago, IVAGO employees took part in a spontaneous strike. They were unhappy with their increasing workload, the city’s plans to save money, and the introduction of a new glass collection system. These issues had been causing stress for the employees, leading them to take action.
Following the strike, there was a discussion between IVAGO workers and the city, which helped to reduce tensions and temporarily resolve the situation. However, it remains uncertain if these past concerns have contributed to the current strike action. Some workers might be more willing to participate in solidarity because the previous issues were not fully addressed.
According to the officials, it’s common for workers to support each other by going on strike, even if they don’t work in the same place. This often happens when a big union asks people to join the strike. The ACOD union says they didn’t tell all their members to join the current strike.
Workers who don’t work for the OCMWs, like IVAGO workers, are mostly joining the strike on their own. While this kind of support is normal, not everyone is happy about it. Some people think it’s wrong for workers to strike in support of others without being directly involved in the problems.
“We notice that some people join the strike, but do not stand at the pickets to show their sympathy there as well. That can be seen as opportunism and thus reduces the support for the actions among citizens,” says an anonymous opponent of the actions.
