The trade union front representing De Lijn workers has called on the public transport company’s staff to go on strike from 23 September.
The call comes after negotiations between the unions and management broke down on Monday. De Lijn workers did not take part in Monday's national strike in solidarity with Audi Brussels workers.
"The unilateral decisions by management regarding the annual schedule and the temporary refusal of shift exchanges are the last straw," said Stan Reusen, secretary of the socialist union ACOD.
"The level of flexibility demanded from our employees is no longer realistic. This isn’t just about the drivers but includes all other staff," Reusen added.
De Lijn’s management hopes to find a solution. There is still one week to restart dialogue. If that fails, the company will need to determine which "essential services" employees will join the work stoppage.
The union coalition specifically demands the start of local talks on scheduling and services. They want to postpone the service changes planned for mid-2025, but De Lijn seems unwilling to agree.
Lastly, the unions wish to revive certain discontinued services.
