Brussels firefighters have unanimously decided to suspend the strike launched on 21 July while warning they will resume action if promised measures are not delivered by the end of September.
The strike notice remains in force, although unions said they are still awaiting feedback from the various companies on the decision taken at Monday’s general assembly.
According to the joint union front, suspending the action is a strategic choice. Staff representatives said the movement had been “very powerful and effective” and argued that, rather than risk losing momentum by prolonging it, they wanted to preserve their leverage for the next round of talks.
The unions now say they are waiting for the first commitments announced by the Brussels government and the Fire and Emergency Medical Aid Service (SIAMU) management to be put into effect. If those promises are not honoured by the end of September, they say demonstrations and strike action will resume.
In the coming weeks, the joint union front also plans to strengthen its internal organisation, including by appointing representatives in each group to better prepare for the next stages of negotiations.
The unions added that a second social dispute could open at federal level as early as September. They pointed in particular to issues including pensions, recognition of occupational cancers, the physical demands of the profession and end-of-career conditions.
They stressed that those federal concerns are separate from their regional demands, which focus on SIAMU’s funding and staffing levels.
The strike, which began on 21 July, was launched over what unions described as a structural staff shortage and chronic underfunding at SIAMU.
Last week, the Brussels government proposed a plan including 132 new recruits by the end of 2027 and a €10 million package aimed at strengthening the service.
