Oudsbergen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Oudsbergen, 10 postmen went on strike over Bpost’s job changes, including fewer delivery rounds, new trucks, and more travel. Union ACV’s Cindy Mertens seeks better working conditions. Negotiations continue.
As VRT Newspaper reported, in Oudsbergen, 10 postmen started striking on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, because they don’t like Bpost’s new plans for their jobs. Bpost wants to change how they delivers mail because they don’t deliver newspapers anymore, and fewer letters are being sent.
One big change is that there will be fewer delivery rounds. This makes the postmen unhappy because it changes how much work they do. They mentioned that another problem is that some services are moving from Opglabbeek to Dilsen, which means more travel and harder work.
The postmen also have to use bigger trucks to deliver packages. These trucks make them stop at every mailbox, which takes longer and makes their jobs harder. They said that the new trucks aren’t designed well, so they can hurt the postmen.
“It’s an efficiency exercise that we’re doing all over the country,”
Says Mathieu Goedefroy of boost.
“If you’re dealing with a declining volume, you have to intervene. In our opinion, this is the best and most practical solution.”
Will Bpost and ACV union reach an agreement to end the Postmen’s strike?
According to Cindy Mertens, from the ACV Limburg union, the changes are too extreme and affect the postmen. The union knows Bpost needs to save money, but the new plans are unfair to the workers’ health. The postmen want to do their jobs well, but the changes make their work harder and hurt them physically. They feel the cuts to rounds and the new vehicles are making their jobs worse.
The computer program that plans the rounds doesn’t understand how the job works, making the work too hard. The union wants at least 7 delivery rounds instead of 6. They mentioned that this would make the work easier and keep the workers healthy, so they won’t be unhappy and go on strike again. The postmen are dedicated to their work, but these changes are too much.
“A program like that can never capture reality,”
The ACV member continues.
“Every day, you are faced with unforeseen circumstances that can cause delays. You can’t calculate that in.”
In Opglabbeek, people can temporarily pick up their newspapers at the local post office, located at Lemmensweg 4. This emergency plan is in place because the unions and Bpost are still negotiating. Bpost spokesperson Mathieu Goedefroy said that customers can get their newspapers at the regular counter or from the back of the garage at the post office.
The unions have met with Bpost officials several times, but they haven’t agreed yet. The unions are still trying to get a better outcome, and the local director of Bpost is available to help find a quick solution. The unions hope they can reach an agreement soon, but the situation is still not resolved at the moment.
“The local director is present today and available for consultation. We are doing everything we can to reach an agreement quickly,”
Goedefroy adds.
The union representatives are set to have discussions with Bpost’s national board tomorrow, May 9, 2025. Following this, another round of negotiations is planned for 8:00, where both parties aim to continue working towards an agreement.
Union spokespersons, like Mertens, have highlighted that the final decision on any potential settlement will rest with the postmen. While the unions are optimistic about finding a solution, the situation remains delicate, and the outcome of these negotiations will determine if the current emergency measures will continue or if additional actions will be required.
