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The FGTB/ABVV trade union confederation organised a 24-hour general strike in Belgium on 7 October 2005, mainly directed against the government’s plans for amended 'end-of-career' and retirement arrangements. The 24-hour strike particularly affected public services such as public transport, postal services, telecommunications and electricity, which are currently undergoing restructuring initiatives prompted by liberalisation and privatisation. The action fuelled debate on the right to strike in public services.
On 7 October 2005, the socialist Belgian General Federation of Labour (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV) organised a 24-hour general strike, the first in Belgium since the mid-1990s. The strike was directed against the government’s plans for amended 'end-of-career' and retirement arrangements (BE0412306F) and also related to the affordability of the social security system. This action was called as a means of applying pressure during current negotiations between the social partners and the government. Many of the workers involved in the strike and its preparation came from public service sectors such as public transport, postal services, telecommunications and electricity. The traditionally state-owned companies in these sectors have undergone liberalisation (electricity and railway) and privatisation (postal services and telecommunications). The accompanying restructuring still seems to be fostering industrial unrest in the (formerly) state-owned companies, and the trade unions involved do not shy away from 'hard' actions in this respect.
Right to strike in public services under debate
There was a high level of participation in the 7 October strike by workers public transport services (train, trams and buses), which appeared to cause a degree of dissatisfaction in terms of public opinion. Liberal politicians, who have submitted legislative proposals in the past with a view to making changes to the right to strike (BE0110310N), drew on this dissatisfaction to call for new legislation to ensure a basic level of service in the event of strikes in the public transport sector. Three members of parliament for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, VLD) - Guido De Padt, Bart Tommelein and Hilde Vautmans - called for a minimum level of public transport to be provided during strikes. In June, the same three members of parliament had submitted a resolution to the lower house of parliament asking the government to work on this issue. According to them, trade unions should also consider the economy and citizens during their actions. The members of parliament made a comparison with the healthcare sector, where hospitals and elderly people’s homes are guaranteed basic services even during strikes.
A consumers’ organisation, the Union of Train, Tram and Bus Users (De Bond van Trein-, Tram- en Busgebruikers, BTTB), also condemned the action and regretted the fact that unions in the public transport sector did not opt for 'customer-friendly' protest actions, such as a 'pay-strike' (ie not collecting fares on public transport). BTTB also pointed to a minimum service provision as an alternative. Following France’s example, BTTB argues that the number of trains and buses running during a strike should be agreed upon beforehand, at a lower level than normal. In France, the government has signed a contract with public transport companies regulating a minimum service provision, whereby the companies run the risk of being fined. Therefore, during a major French strike that occurred in the same week as the FGTB/ABVV action, there was no total stoppage of public transport systems.
The rail unions were categorical in their reaction to these proposals. They see the right to strike as absolute, and not liable to legal restrictions.
Main areas of unrest
At Belgian National Railways (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges/Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen, SNCB/NMBS), trade unions and management are currently assessing a 'social agreement protocol' that was signed in 2004 (BE0411304F). Dissatisfaction with the application of this agreement led rail unions to call for widespread participation in the general strike. It was noteworthy that the rail section of the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond, CSC/ACV) also called for rail workers to strike, whereas the general policy within the broader CSC/ACV was to not support the socialist unions' strike. Unions demand that the current level of employment be maintained on a permanent basis (not under 38,000 employees) and that the separate pension system for rail workers should not be dismantled. They also see a number of shortcomings in the recruitment and training policies of the railway company. In addition, they remain strongly opposed to forms of outsourcing.
Within the post office, union dissatisfaction has to do with a new management contract that the Belgian Post (La Poste/De Post) has signed with the government. Unions issued a negative opinion regarding this new contract. They fear that the resulting reduction in the number of post offices will lead to the loss of jobs and to higher demands on workers in terms of mobility and flexibility. In this reduction of post offices unions see the hand of the post’s future equity partner, Post Denmark, which, in its own country, has already divested most of its points of sales (BE0510301N).
There is also unrest within the formerly state-owned, and now privatised, telecommunications company Belgacom. In this case it is the CSC/ACV-Transcom union that is protesting against a draft collective agreement that has been reached between management and the two other unions - the socialist General Confederation of Public Services (Centrale Générale des Services Publics/De Algemene Centrale der Openbare Diensten,CGSP/ACOD) and the liberal Free Trade Union of Civil Servants (Syndicat libre de la Fonction Publique/Vrij Syndicaat voor het Openbaar Ambt, SLFP/VSOA). The social plan foresees that 400 to 500 employees who have the status of civil servants would be placed into 'availability'. That means that they remain theoretically available for work at Belgacom, but in reality do not have a job anymore. In addition, there would be no renewal of contracts for approximately 50 temporary workers. The agreement that has been reached thus envisages the obligatory redundancy of approximately 500 members of staff. On top of this, employees over the age of 55 may leave the company on a voluntary basis. This exit of older employees should be spread over a number of years. In total, 2,000 workers would be leaving the company. Initially, this restructuring would cost Belgacom EUR 330 million but the slimming-down would lead to savings in the long run. According to management, the 24-hour strike in October by CSC/ACV-Transcom caused only minor disturbances within the telecommunications company. The union claims that the action obtained a good following and that the discussion about the company’s staffing policy has once again become the focus of attention as a result of the dispute. Above all, CSC/ACV-Transcom wanted to exert pressure on the socialist and liberal unions, which had already signed the draft social plan with management.
The electricity sector is facing a final takeover of Belgium’s most important electricity company, Electrabel, by the French energy group Suez. This takeover is also causing restlessness among the unions. FGTB/ABVV has recently submitted a written request to the Brussels Court of Appeal aimed at obtaining extra information from Suez about its plans for the Belgian energy sector after the takeover of Electrabel. 'The information that we have received from Suez up to this moment and the data in the acquisition memorandum are not enough', argues FGTB/ABVV federal secretary Rudy de Leeuw. The union wants a number of guarantees regarding future investments, the fund for the dismantlement of the nuclear power plants and the consequences of the acquisition for the level of employment.
Port personnel also joined the strike on 7 October 2005.
Commentary
Liberalisation and privatisation (under European Union pressure) continue to cause social unrest in formerly state-owned companies such as SNCB/NMBS (railways), La Poste/De Post (postal services) and Belgacom (telecommunications). Restructuring processes are coupled with the loss of jobs and changes to employment conditions, which lead to insecurity among the employees affected. The unions, which have traditionally been strong in these formerly state-owned companies, are the outlets for this dissatisfaction. In contrast with union behaviour in the private sector, they do not shy away from 'hard' actions. FGTB/ABVV’s call for a general strike provided an ideal occasion to channel and awaken the readiness for action within these public service sectors. (Guy Van Gyes, HIVA-KU Leuven)