The Eastern Flanders province is running at a slower pace today. “We estimate that there are strikes at over 500 companies”, says Louis Pilaert from ABVV, the Flemish branch of the FGTB. He made this statement on behalf of all the Unions. Between 7,000 and 8,000 strikers are holding picket lines. The port at Ghent is completely inaccessible. The strike movement is also happening in hospitals. Police confirm that agreements for patients and emergency services to pass through the picket lines are being respected.
The circulation of the De Lijn bus has also been affected, and nearly half the bus lines have been stopped.
No trains are running in the province, and the Ghent port area is blocked by around 15 picket lines. The strike should continue until 11pm, according to the Unions. According to the CEO, Daan Schalck, the strike action could lose the port 20 million euros.
The production of Volvo cars in Ghent has also been blocked. At Arcelor Mittal, an agreement between the management and the Unions should allow the factory to produce half of its normal daily output.
(Source: Belga)
