Public transport services operated by De Lijn and STIB are expected to be disrupted by a national day of action by trade unions on Monday 6 December.
Both companies have said that services will not run to usual schedules as a result of the strike. However, Belgian railway company SNCB had said that its services will not be impacted on Monday and will be operating as usual.
The socialist trade union ABVV and the Christian trade union ACV have planned strikes on Brussels streets on Monday in protest against the 1996 wage standard law and against what they call the “cutting back” of trade union freedoms. The liberal union ACLVB will concentrate on local actions.
Flemish public transport company De Lijn has said that it expects a disruption of services and announced that it is working on an alternative timetable based on the number of staff members that have said they will be working.
Door een nationale actiedag van de vakbonden op ma 6/12 zal onze dienstverlening verstoord zijn. We werken een alternatieve dienstverlening uit. Deze zal op za 4/12 beschikbaar zijn via https://t.co/RxDe7UVq5W
Onze excuses voor het ongemak. #DeLijn
— De Lijn (@delijn) November 30, 2021
The tweet reads: “Due to a national day of action by the trade unions on Monday 6/12, our service will be disrupted. We are working out an alternative service. This will be available on Sat 4/12.”
De Lijn was already experiencing disruptions to its services due to staff shortages from coronavirus infections. Last week, the absence among staff members averaged 12%, resulting in some services being cancelled, as is the case with SNCB’s services.
Meanwhile, Brussels public transport company STIB said the national demonstration will impact its network, both due to staff participating in the strikes as well as the demonstration itself, which will block various lines.
‘It is difficult to estimate the extent of the disruption at this time. STIB advises travellers to plan as many alternatives to public transport as possible for their journeys in the capital on Monday,’ a statement on its website announced. The company said it will give real-time updates on disruptions.
SNCB spokesperson Bart Crols told Belga News Agency that the railway company “in theory does not expect any impact on train traffic.”
