Confederations agree on general strike
25 January 2012
The three trade union confederations are planning a general strike for 30 January in protest at the government austerity measures and their impact on workers and the welfare state. Unions are concerned about cuts to unemployment benefit and attacks on early retirement among other changes. They argue that the measures are being pushed through without any social dialogue and that the government has failed to consider any alternatives – no real attempt to deal with tax fraud and with the banks and employers in general getting off very lightly.
Read more at > FGTB/ABVV (FR)
And at > ABVV/FGTB (NL)
And at > ACV/CSC (NL)
Public sector unions strike over pensions
21 December 2011
The three public sector union federations supported national strike action in protest at government plans for pension reform and its failure to undertake any negotiations with the trade unions. The changes to pensions will mean working longer for a lower level of benefit as the retirement age is increased and the period for calculating pensions is increased from the last five years to the last 10 years in the job. Workers of all ages would be affected if the reforms go through unchanged.
Read more at > EPSU (EN, FR, NL)
And at > CGSP (FR)
And at > ACOD (NL)
And at > CSC (FR)
And at > ACV (NL)
And at > SLFP (FR)
And at > VSOA ( NL)
Over 75,000 demonstrate against austerity measures
9 December 2011
The three trade union confederations (FGTB/ABVV, CSC/ACOD, CGSLB/VSOA) organized a national demonstration on 2 December against proposed budget cuts, attacks on pension rights and threats to the wage indexation system.
Read more at > ABVV (NL)
And at > FGTB (FR)
And at > CSC (FR)
And at > ACV (NL)
And at > CGSLB (FR)
And at > ACLVB (NL)
Bargaining focuses on purchasing power and jobs
11 November 2011
Unions in the non-profit sector, covering a range of health and social services, are starting negotiations over a new federal agreement with their main focus on protecting purchasing power and increasing employment. There has been a review of occupations in the sector and on the basis of these changes in job descriptions, unions are looking for a new pay structure and arrangements that will provide progression over a career and will take account of length of service. In order to tackle the increase in workloads and stress, particularly in health sector jobs, the unions are looking for an increase in employment that will also allow employees to adjust their hours and secure a better work-life balance.
Read more at > SETCA (FR)
And in Dutch at > BBTK
Street cleaners protest over threat to transfer jobs
7 October 2011
Unions organized a demonstration on 22 September over proposals to transfer 600 street cleaners from the Brussels region to local authorities. The unions are concerned that the issue of the employment conditions of the workers has not been dealt with and they are surprised by the unexpected announcement of the transfer as the government and region had appeared to put any restructuring plans on hold. The regional government gave assurances that any proposed changes to the service will be undertaken subject to negotiation with the unions.
Read more at > CSC (FR)
National demonstration keeps pressure on employers in non-profit sector
22 June 2011
Over 16,000 workers joined the national demonstration on 9 June calling for new, long-term agreements in the non-profit sector, covering a range of health and social services. The unions are looking to negotiate deals at national, regional and community level and emphasise the need to improve employment conditions in order to make it a more attractive sector in which to work and so increase recruitment.
Read more at > SETCA (FR)
And in Dutch at > BBTK
Unions to mobilise on 9 June over new health and care sector agreement
2 June 2011
Public service trade unions are building for a national demonstration on 9 June to support their demands for a new agreement on pay and conditions in health and social services in the public and non-profit sectors.
Read more at > CSC (FR)
And in Dutch at > LBC-NVK
And at > SETCA (FR)
And in Dutch at > BBTK
And at > CGSLB (FR)
And in Dutch at > ACLVB
Unions secure agreement for extra funds for jobs and pay in health sector
3 March 2011
Trade unions representing workers in the federal health sector have negotiated a “mini-agreement” that provides €50 million of extra funding. This will go towards creating 400 jobs and improving pay and conditions. The jobs will ensure that vacant posts are filled and will be targeted at parts of the sector that didn’t benefit from the employment measures in the 2005-2010 agreement. The extra funds will also ensure more workers get supplementary payments for working after 19.00 as well as going towards the second pillar pension scheme.
Read more at > SETCA (FR)
And in > Dutch
Back to negotiations over private sector agreement
14 February 2011
The proposed national, cross-sectoral agreement for the private sector for 2011-2012 has been rejected by the socialist (FGTB/ABVV) and liberal (CGSLB/ACLVB) trade union confederations. Their concerns included the social security cuts and limited room to negotiate (0.3%) over pay at sectoral level. There were also concerns about negotiating against a European background, with increasing pressure to increase retirement ages and to end pay indexation. Following consultation of its membership the ACV/CSC confederation decided reluctantly to support the agreement although it was far from satisfied with the content.
Read more at > FGTB (FR)
And at > ABVV (NL)
And at > CGSLB (FR)
And at > ACLVB (NL)
And at > CSC (FR)
And at > ACV (NL)
Private sector agreement goes out to consultation
23 January 2011
The three trade union confederations have agreed a new framework agreement for the private sector for 2011-2012. A key element of the deal is maintenance of the system of indexation which had recently been a target of employer criticism. There is also a small additional amount (0.3%) that is available above the level of indexation. The other main elements of the agreement, which now goes out to consultation, include increases to welfare benefits, extension of some temporary agreements including early retirement pensions and continued commitment to a very long-running aim to harmonise the different legal provisions covering blue- and white-collar workers.
Read more at > FGTB (FR)
And in Dutch at > ABVV
And at > CSC (FR)
And in Dutch at > ACV
And at >CGSLB(FR)
And in Dutch at > ACLVB
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