The general strike was called by the three largest trade unions in the country: the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions, the General Federation of Labour of Belgium and the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium.
The mobilisation in the capital started from Place de l’Albertine to the central train station in Brussels, and has been joined by rubbish workers, firefighters, train operators, airport workers, teachers and others in the public sector.
The possible coalition government (known as the Arizona coalition), formed in principle by nationalists, social democrats, liberals and the centre-right, which 7 months on from legislative elections, has not managed to form the new executive, has already announced a pension reform project, which would entail the elimination of various social benefits such as wage freezes, longer working hours, more precarious contracts, cuts to public services and lower pensions.
According to trade union leaders, special regimes enjoyed by railway workers, police and military personnel, which allow them to retire earlier, would be in danger of disappearing, meaning that they would have to work much longer to have the same rights.
Access to the minimum pension would also be at risk, as well as the amount, which would particularly affect women.
The legal retirement age in Belgium was raised from 65 to 66 on January 1st 2025. Today it takes 45 years of career to retire with a full pension. It is planned to rise to 67 from 2030. The Arizona coalition wants to save 3 billion euros a year in pensions.
The national strike day has been marked by transport stoppages, which have affected Belgium’s airports and has meant that since midday there have been no departures from Charleroi airport, south of the capital. The flight stoppage has affected 40% of flights at Brussels International Airport.
In the capital, rubbish collection was another sector where strikers were able to extend the stoppages. Tens of thousands of teachers have also joined the strike and joined the protests.
