The planned 48-hour strike at Haren prison in Brussels during New Year’s Eve has been called off following productive talks with management.
Robby De Kaey, ACOD prison union representative, confirmed the decision on Monday, stating that the prison’s management had taken into account valuable suggestions from staff during discussions.
The union had initially filed notice for the strike on 20 December, scheduled from 6 a.m. on 30 December to 6 a.m. on 1 January, as a last resort to protest against excessive workloads.
However, an agreement has now been reached. “We are very pleased with the outcome, as striking would have been our final option,” De Kaey said.
According to the union, Haren prison faces significant shortages, with an estimated 100 full-time equivalent staff missing, alongside high levels of absenteeism.
Additionally, more than 50 prisoners at the facility, the largest detention centre in Belgium, are currently forced to sleep on the floor.
Despite a “promising plea” by Antwerp governor Cathy Berx on Sunday for legislation to prohibit the situation where inmates are forced to sleep on the ground, De Kaey notes that the parliamentary majority lacks the political will to push through such laws.
“A Western democracy would benefit from legislation protecting detainees from such conditions, but there’s no political courage to make it happen at the moment,” he added.
While the Haren strike has been averted, another industrial action looms at Hasselt prison. Staff there are scheduled to strike on 5 and 6 January if no agreement is reached.
According to unions, negotiations with management at Hasselt remain difficult.
