Belgium's rail unions plan to strike for a week if the reform proposals concerning pensions or the status of railway personnel are put to a vote in the Federal Parliament, they announced at a joint press conference on Thursday.
When exactly this week of action would take place remains to be seen, according to the joint union front of ACOD, ACV Transcom, VSOA, ASTB, and OVS.
"It could be in December, January, or perhaps never if Bart De Wever's Federal Government collapses over the budget," said Pierre Lejeune of ACOD.
His colleague from ACV Transcom, Koen De Mey, pointed out that the pension bill has been delayed, but that it was supposed to be debated in parliament on 18 December.
"We have not heard anything about [Mobility] Minister Crucke's draft regarding the status. It still has to go through the Council of State, so we do not know who will be first," De Mey said.
The week of action is in addition to the three-day strike initiated by the national unions. The three-day strike will begin at 10pm on Sunday 23 November and will last until 10pm on Wednesday 26 November.
