The Metisp-Protect union announced on Thursday evening that it supported the strike notice issued by the Independent Union of Railway Workers, SIC, for the 10th of July from 03 :00 a.m. to the 12th of July at 0:300 a.m. and called on all train drivers to join the work stoppage. Earlier Thursday, the Autonomous Union of Train Conductors (SACT) had also indicated it was backing the strike.
These strike notices “are simply the consequence of the handling the issue of re-evaluation of the profession of train conductor,” Metisp-Protect stated, adding that it “has always considered it unacceptable that increased productivity is coupled with a re-evaluation of the profession of train conductor”.
Metisp-Protect was formed recently by employees of the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB) who were formerly members of the public sector workers’ union, CGSP. It had given notice of its intention to take strike action on the 25th, 26th, and 29th of June, as well as the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 11th of July, but this was rejected by HR-Rail, the legal employer for the railways.
HR-Rail did the same on Wednesday with a similar strike notice issued on the 28th of June by SACT for the period of the 12th of July at 03:00 a.m. to the 14th of July at 03:00 a.m.
On the other hand, HR-Rail accepted the SIC’s strike notice for the 10th of July at 03 :00 a.m. to the 12th of July at 03:00 a.m., which SACT and Metisp-Protect have now signed on to.
The SNCB indicated on Wednesday that a minimum service would be implemented on Tuesday the 10th and Wednesday the 11th of July.
The Brussels Times
