Another country-wide strike will grind Belgium to a halt on Wednesday 25 June, as workers in both the private and public sectors will protest against the new Federal Government's budget cuts.
The strike was called by the socialist ABVV-FGTB, Christian ACV-CSC and liberal CGSLB-ACLVB trade unions. The liberal union did not participate in previous months' strikes, but will now also protest to denounce the Federal Government's policies affecting pensions, unemployment benefits, and wages.
"Social security is under attack. Wages are virtually frozen. Public services are being forced to make savings. At the same time, we are seeing corporate profits soaring and inequality increasing," said ABVV-FGTB in a statement. "We oppose this policy of social destruction."
The trade unions explicitly invited as many people as possible to gather and protest in Brussels. A demonstration across the centre of the capital is planned to take place on 25 June.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather on Wednesday at 10:00 at the Brussels North station. From there, they will make their way through the city and end the demonstration near the Brussels Midi station.
No flights from Brussels
In addition to the demonstration, the day of action will also have a significant impact on air traffic. As some of the security staff at airports are refusing to work, flights have been cancelled.
Charleroi Airport (BSCA) will be completely shut down: all departing and arriving flights will be cancelled on Wednesday. At Brussels Airport, all departing passenger flights have been cancelled as well. For arriving flights, only 103 of the 261 scheduled ones will be operating. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline or on the Brussels Airport website or app.
Affected passengers can also expect to be contacted directly by their airlines with more information on their options.
Credit: Belga/Ine Gilles
Public transportation across the capital is expected to be "severely disrupted," according to Brussels transport operator STIB/MIVB, adding that they will do "everything possible to ensure at least part of the service."
Metro Line 1 is the only one expected to run (extended to Erasme/Erasmus), along with a handful of buses and trams. However, STIB/MIVB stressed that this information cannot be confirmed until 06:00 on Wednesday morning.
At Flemish operator De Lijn, which has bus services operating in Brussels, no strike notice has been filed, and they expect service to "largely" run as normal. However, some subcontractors may participate in the day of action, according to a spokesperson. The transport operator advises passengers to check their website or app for updates.
Walloon bus operator TEC, which also has some lines running in the capital, has warned of "disruptions" on its network. Routes that cannot be operated are gradually being added to the timetable search function on its website and app.
Limited impact on trains
Train services are not likely to face significant disruptions as no strike notice has been filed with the national railway operator SNCB/NMBS, but railway unions do plan to send a delegation to Brussels. However, the railway company warns of a possible high number of passengers travelling to and from Brussels during the day of action.
Security staff are set to be present at major stations to help manage big crowds. Access to platforms may be restricted during peak hours. Passengers are advised to plan their journey by using the journey planner on the SNCB/NMBS website or app before heading to a train station.
Eurostar trains will not be impacted by the actions. It is not yet clear if this is also the case for other international train services. During previous strikes, several lines to and from the Netherlands did not run as a result of the actions.
Other disruptions
Administrative services are set to be affected in some municipalities. In Saint-Gilles for example, the municipality has confirmed that all population, residence and civil status services will be closed on 25 June. Residents are advised to check their local commune website for more information.
The waste management services in Brussels will likely be disrupted, according to a spokesperson at Bruxelles-Propreté. Although it is difficult to say to what extent these actions will impact services to the public, the Agency suspects that waste collection rounds "are likely to suffer" as a result of the situation.
Credit: Brussels Propreté
This will most likely impact rubbish bag collections, bulky waste collections, and recycling parks. Residents are advised to put rubbish bags out as normal: a catch-up service will be set up to support the waste collection system the day after the strike.
The judicial system will also experience some disruptions due to the demonstration as the majority of hearings at the French-speaking Court of First Instance of Brussels will be suspended between 9:00 and 11:00.
"The President and the Chief Clerk support the mobilisation that will take place in front of the Palace of Justice at that time," a spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
There may be further announcements of disruption in the next 24 hours. The Brussels Times will be live-blogging on Wednesday to keep you up to date on any disruptions, developments and latest information. So follow us to keep abreast of everything strike related tomorrow.
