Invited on a morning radio show on Monday, Transport Minister Jean-Luc Cruke called the five-day rail strike "unreasonable".
Cruke said he had already reached agreements twice with the unions on reforming employment status, but both texts were rejected by union members.
One of the key points of contention between the unions and the government is the abolition of permanent appointments for new staff.
"There is a time for everything, but the time for negotiations has now passed," said Crucke on De Ochtend on Radio 1,
Rail services came to a standstill from 10 pm last night, and they are not expected to resume until 10 pm on Friday, 30 January.
"I spent dozens of hours negotiating with the unions. I forced no one to sign an agreement. It is the members' right not to agree, but it is also the government's right to say: we take responsibility and we move forward," Crucke said.
The minister stressed that he wants to prepare SNCB for the mandatory liberalisation of the rail sector in 2032.
"I do not want railway workers to lose their jobs then because there is no flexibility, because they did not see competition coming," he added.
