Unions to come to Brussels with 4,000 people on board on Monday | News

ABVV and ACV had already announced two weeks ago that they would appear on December 6. Meanwhile, the two unions agreed to operate a quota system for the demonstration in Brussels due to the Corona pandemic. Each will require up to 2,000 supporters, and they will also be required to wear face masks and keep their distance.

In particular, unions are campaigning against the 1996 wage standard, which was created to limit wage increases and preserve the competitive position of Belgian companies. The law allows wages to rise by just 0.4 percent to top the index next year.
In addition, both unions are protesting the “restriction” of union freedoms. They point to, among other things, the conviction of seventeen unionists, including ABVV president Thierry Bodson, for blocking a bridge on the E40 motorway in the province of Liege in 2015.

ABVV and ACV are covering the event on Monday with a notice of action, especially so that the protesters descending on Brussels do not suffer lost wages. They are not calling for a general strike, although Hermann does not rule out the possibility of action in some companies. She confirmed that staff meetings have been called, which will also lead to a halt in work.

ACLVB supports other unions’ request to amend the Standard Pay Act, but does not want to call for a demonstration in times of Corona. So the liberal union will not participate in the demonstration, but will call a local strike on Monday, which it will support. Mario Coppins, president of ACLVB, says it is not yet clear how many measures will be taken.

Read also. De Lijn and STIB expect traffic disruption on National Action Day on Monday, but NMBS doesn’t expect it