Prison staff across the country launched a nationwide strike on Monday morning, warning that overcrowding, violence and chronic understaffing have pushed Belgium's prison system to breaking point.
The strike began at 06:00 in all Belgian prisons, with workers protesting against soaring workloads and rising aggression behind bars.
In a rare move, prison management openly backed the industrial action, warning that "the prison system is on the verge of collapse".
According to the latest figures, Belgium's prisons held 13,733 inmates last week despite an official capacity of just 11,064 places.
Authorities say 754 detainees are currently sleeping on mattresses placed directly on cell floors.
Unions launched the strike after talks with the office of Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) failed to produce concrete measures to reduce overcrowding or improve working conditions.
Staff representatives warn the situation could deteriorate even further during the summer holiday period, when many prison guards take annual leave.
The prison administration itself has sounded the alarm over a sharp increase in violence.
"The number of critical incidents has doubled in a year. Every day, a serious incident occurs somewhere in a prison," the administration said last week.
Absences caused by workplace accidents linked to assaults have also risen by more than 30% in two years, according to officials.
