(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BRUSSELS, Nov 24 (KUNA) -- Belgium is launching a three day national strike starting Monday in response to a call by labor unions protesting the reforms proposed by conservative Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
The unions reject these reforms, which aim to rebalance public finances according to the Belgian government.
The socialist, Christian, and liberal unions which form a "unified union front" affirmed that the strike carries a clear message to the government to withdraw what they consider "social dismantling" measures, especially since the reforms have not yet been approved and can still be amended.
According to a statement from the labor unions, the strike begins today, Monday, in the public transport and railway sectors, before extending Tuesday to include public-sector services, culminating in a full strike on Wednesday.
The transport sectors are launching the first phase of the strike today. The Belgian railway company announced it would operate one out of every two trains on main lines, with major reductions in peak-hour services. The company also announced the cancellation of several international train routes, including Eurostar services between Brussels and Paris.
Local authorities also expect widespread disruptions in the metro, tram, and bus networks over the three days due to the participation of employees from the STIB transport company in the strike.
The scope of the strike is expected to widen on Tuesday to include schools, nurseries, public administrations, and hospitals, leading to a general strike on Wednesday that will paralyze a large part of activities in both the public and private sectors. Airport operators have also announced that no commercial flights will take off on Wednesday from Brussels-Zaventem or Charleroi airports due to the absence of security staff.
This mobilization follows a series of union actions since the formation of the "Arizona" coalition government led by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever last February.
Belgium has one of the highest levels of public debt in the eurozone, alongside Greece, Italy, and France. The conservative prime minister has called on the country to make a "significant effort to cut spending".
His plan includes reforms such as liberalizing the labor market, modifying eligibility conditions for unemployment benefits, and reforming the pension system by raising the retirement age from 65 to 67.
However, the five parties in the governing coalition remain divided over the scale of the reforms and the method of financing them, especially amid a sharp increase in military spending.
The unions hope that the three-day strike will create sufficient pressure to push the government to revise its plans before the deadline set by Prime Minister De Wever for coalition parties to reach an agreement by Christmas. (end)
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