What Will Happen in Belgium on February 13, 2020?
Belgian trade unions announced nationwide strike action for February 13, 2020, as part of a campaign calling for better economic conditions, higher wages and improvements to the social security system.
The national strike was expected to affect workers and services across Belgium, with unions calling on employees in different sectors to take part in the action.
Why Are Belgian Workers Going on Strike?
The trade unions were demanding a significant increase in the minimum wage, changes to the pension system, a better balance between professional and private life, and improved opportunities for workers to travel between their homes and workplaces.
The planned strike was expected to affect several parts of daily life in Belgium, including public transportation and other services, meaning that people who needed to travel on February 13 were advised to check their transportation plans in advance.
Bus and train services were expected to be affected, while disruptions could also occur at airports, major stores and other workplaces as employees joined the nationwide industrial action.
What Did Belgian Politicians Say About the Strike?
Belgian N-VA politician Koen Metsu said that if employers and employees could not reach a compromise through negotiations, the matter would ultimately have to be addressed by elected representatives.
The political debate also focused on the need to increase minimum pensions for people who had worked for many years and to improve minimum benefits for people with disabilities and those who had been unable to work for a long period because of illness.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel also called for social dialogue to resume between employers and trade unions as tensions increased ahead of the planned national strike.
Speaking after a meeting of the Belgian Council of Ministers, Michel said that a strike day is always a failed day, while emphasizing the importance of reaching an agreement through negotiations between the social partners.
The Belgian government again stressed the importance of reaching an agreement between employers and employees rather than allowing the dispute to continue through repeated strike action.
For people living in Belgium, the planned February 13 strike meant that transportation and some everyday services could face significant disruptions, making it important to check with individual employers, transport operators and service providers before traveling or making plans that day.
