Merchtem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The principal and teachers in the primary school Ter Dreef in Merchtem have opposed the government’s pension plans but have refrained from joining today’s protests in Brussels. Rather, they will get to see that a mourning day was held at school, marked by black balloons, pamphlets and staff dressed in black.
Principal Kenny Nuyts stated,
“We do want to express our displeasure in a positive way.”
This decision comes as up to 24558 teachers in Belgium are set to go on strike against the government’s proposed pension reforms that many teachers believe will be detrimental to their future pension rights.
In primary school, Ter Dreef in Merchtem, teachers protest against government pension plans through a day of mourning accompanied by black balloons and clothes. Meanwhile, in Brussels, teachers went on strike, numbering 24,000; Ter Dreef was keen on the use of positive speech without having to go on strike. Many schools are participating in such protests in Brussels, but Ter Dreef has chosen a different way of expressing their concern. The staff of the school has demonstrated the readiness to act instantly but does not want to strike or leave classrooms behind.
“We think it is important to show that we do not agree with the plans on the table, but we do so in a positive way,”
Nuyts emphasised.
The mourning day will include black balloons around the school and teachers wearing black clothes, which will symbolise protest. Other advertising, such as pamphlets showcasing motives with slogans that express their disagreement, will also be developed.
The worries of the staff are not only limited to more probable pension changes that will be made in the future. Some of the problems affecting Ter Dreef include Teachers being more anxious about rising workloads because of constant budget cuts in education and experiencing larger teaching groups and more integration attempts without sufficient facilities.
“There is a fear that lives within our team,”
Nuyts noted,
highlighting the stress and uncertainty educators feel as they navigate these challenges.
The broader context of pension reforms
Today, nationwide protests by educators and public sector workers in Belgium are being made against the government’s proposed pension reforms. Unions have mobilised thousands of teachers to march in Brussels, citing concerns such reforms would result in fewer pensions and increased working hours for teachers. The new labour market has raised apprehension among teachers who expect their pension as important for the previously low-remunerated position in the occupation.
The proposed changes surface at an era in Belgium’s pension scheme when there are ongoing changes in the age of thang from 65 to 66 and possibly 67 by 2030. Most educators condemn these changes as having negative impacts, most especially on public servants who depend on pension provisions as a component of wages. The unions say that these measures are the most anti-worker measures seen so far and have demanded that workers from all sectors affected by the ‘austerities’ have to unite.
As a result, schools all over Belgium are preventing significant to moderate levels of disruption because teachers demonstrate their discontent through industrial actions such as strikes. While Ter Dreef has gone for mourning as a protest form, other institutions are likely to face massive worker boycotts as teachers prepare for nationwide demonstrations that are likely to lead to massive truancy and other operational disruptions. In light of ongoing talks on pension reforms, the status is still open, and many educators still hope to achieve pension justice while maintaining the financial stability of education in the future.
