Several workers of the Bruxelles-Propreté garbage collection service have gone on a "spontaneous strike" on Thursday, disrupting the garbage collection in several Brussels municipalities.
In Brussels-City, Laeken, Neder-over-Heembeek, Uccle, Forest and Saint-Gilles, the garbage collection was disrupted on Thursday.
"A small number of the workers are on strike," said spokesperson Etienne Cornesse, reports Bruzz. "Of the 700 workers in the cleanliness service, about 30 are on strike, and of the 1,150 garbage collectors, about 100 are also striking. There will definitely be an impact on garbage collection," said Cornesse.
However, the protest takes place in only three workstations of Bruxelles-Propreté, two in Neder-over-Heembeek and one in Ixelles. According to the liberal trade union VSOA, that means that, respectively, 70%, 60% and about 50% of the personnel present are on strike, reports RTLinfo.
On Tuesday 28 January, the garbage collection was also disrupted by the national protest action of the FGTB/ABVV trade union. "Workers from the cleanliness department, meaning not garbage collectors, can also do collection rounds. After the national action last Tuesday we asked them to do one. A few of them refused, but that is not possible. An order is an order," he said.
According to the union, however, a catch-up round can only be requested voluntarily, but workers were put under pressure to make them.
The unions and the management of Bruxelles-Propreté will meet on Thursday afternoon to discuss the issue.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
