Members of the CGSP/ACOD and SLPF/VSOA trade unions took industrial action in prisons across the country between Thursday 27 and Saturday 29 May. The unions are calling for an increasing in staffing and will consider further action if there is no response from the prison service.
Read more at > Le Soir news website (FR)
And at > Knack news website (NL)
Action in prisons over staffing levels
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Unions take action over prison staffing levels and pay
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Prison staff take action over staffing and overcrowding
Trade unions (ACV/CSC and ACOD/CGSP) organised a national strike in the prisons service on 12 December in protest at underfunding, badly maintained buildings, lack of staff, overcrowding and the resulting safety issues arising from this deteriorating situation. Understaffing has lead to many employees doing extra hours and a massive number of hours of overtime that remains to be recouped. The unions also have issues with contracts, provision of uniforms and a lack of strategy in the justice system. It is estimated that prisons currently hold around 10000 in mates, exceeding capacity by 1700.