Unions unite in massive demonstration over pay

The three national trade union confederations called a national political strike on 28 January in protest at government plans to weaken important elements of the Work Environment Act. Along with the strike action, the confederations organised demonstrations in hundreds of towns and cities across the country. The unions are concerned about four key changes: telaxation of the rules on temporary contracts; an increase in the limits on contractual overtime; a change in the treatment of working on Sunday so that it becomes almost a normal working day; and removal of the right to take collective

(May 2017) The four unions that organise care workers in the public (GÖD and younion) and private (vida and GPA-djp) sectors have come together to organise a national demonstration on 12 May. The key demands of the protest are for better funding for care and action to deal with the excessive workloads, stress and long working hours of many care workers. The unions want to see action to tackle staff shortages and national legislation on staffing levels.

Over 80,000 people joined the national demonstration in Brussels on 20 June organised by the three main trade union confederations FGTB/ABVV, CSC/ACV, CGLSB/ACLVB. The unions want to see a change to the legal framework that imposes limits on the cross-sector pay negotiations and leaves trade unions with little room to bargain on top of the indexation system. EPSU’s Belgian affiliates all joined the march, along with EPSU staff.