Belgium: Strike by rail unions Jan. 6-7

Commuters in Belgium face travel disruption this week as rail unions will go on strike in protest at the government’s modernization plans.

The industrial action on Wednesday and Thursday involves only the country’s French-speaking rail unions, after their Dutch-speaking comrades last week accepted a government offer to reopen talks.
French-speaking unions took a tougher line and gave the government an ultimatum to cancel plans to scale down statutory employment rights. The government did not respond and unions on Monday confirmed the strike action.

Belgian rail unions to strike