Belgian trade unions continue to push back against the Belgian government’s austerity agenda, known as the Arizona coalition – a series of cuts targeting workers, public services and social spending. NGO workers joined the call of Belgian unions and launched an open letter against the cuts.
Fair-CSOs, an initiative by EPSU in collaboration with CNE / ACV Puls and SETCa / BBTK, launched an open letter, bringing NGO workers together against Arizona cuts. While many NGO workers come from abroad and may not hold Belgian citizenship, the letter stresses that they are also deeply affected by the cuts. “As workers in the NGO sector based in Belgium, we will see the impact of these measures up close - on our public services, salaries and pensions, as well as on the communities we work to defend and represent.”, the letter states.
Following the first-ever international NGO picket during the 31 March strike and the successful mobilisation on 29 April, NGO workers are now preparing for the 22 May Non-Profit Sector Demonstration, aiming to form the largest-ever NGO bloc.
In the lead-up to the 22 May Demo, Fair-CSOs is coordinating several actions:
- An open letter collecting signatures from NGO staff
- A banner-making workshop at Mundo Madou (21 May, 12.30-14.20)
- A large, visible NGO bloc on the demonstration day (22 May, 10.30, Gare du Nord)
The struggle also continues as Belgian unions have also called for a national action day on 25 June, keeping the pressure on the Arizona coalition.
Click here to sign the open letter.
Click here to download the letter in PDF format.
Download the Fair-CSOs guide on NGO workers' rights at work.
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