Belgium on the verge of chaos as the country today begins a three-day period of strike action. The culmination of these actions will be the strike on Wednesday—a general strike. This historic tide of demonstration is focused on turning back austerity, a package of cuts and regressive taxes the government has put in place. The strikes burst forth as the country experiences a major surge in labor militancy. This jump started with the arrival of Bart De Wever, the Flemish nationalist kingpin, in office in February.
As was the case during previous strike action, Brussels Airport expects “huge” disruption to its operations on Wednesday. The airport announced that all departure flights would be canceled, but incoming flights could be canceled. Charleroi Airport isn’t immune to the pressure either. In solidarity, it has declared no regularly scheduled departures or arrivals for the day of the general strike.
Anyone passing through Charleroi Airport should expect to have his or her trip complicated. This alarm goes well beyond the airport, disrupting our public service networks for the entire duration of this strike. The City of Brussels has released an advisory to the city’s residents and visitors. They need to be ready for potential “disrupted services” and less bus and tram services while the strikes are on.
This strike action was initiated on Monday through an escalation of day of strikes on public transport. This was preceded by a public service strike on Tuesday, both culminating in Wednesday’s general strike. On Sunday, the Day of Action and Stop Violence Against Women was highly successful. Even more significantly, the FGTB union heralded this event as the launch of a longer-term national campaign.
Belgium’s multi-party coalition government on Monday finalized an agreement on the next budget. The anger about austerity is very real and felt by all corners of society.
These strikes will entirely paralyze transport and airport traffic. They will change public services and the daily life of Belgians, not just in the capital-region but throughout Belgium. Whether you are a resident or simply visiting, it’s important to be aware of these changes as the strike action continues to unfold.
“Work today, reap the rewards tomorrow.” – Prime Minister Bart De Wever
The ramifications of these strikes will likely extend beyond transportation and airport operations, affecting various public services and daily life in Belgium. As the strike action progresses, citizens and travelers alike are advised to stay informed about potential disruptions.