Union votes against strike on 12 May
Unions will take to the streets in protest but will not down tools on 12 May, as ABVV’s federal committee votes against another strike
Further strikes not ruled out
The federal committee is made up of representatives of all sector organisations and regional branches of the union. The vote went against the proposal 65% to 34%, with the ayes mainly from French-speaking Belgium.
The union last went on official strike on 22 April, in protest at the plans of the centre-right Flemish and federal governments to cut spending, skip indexation of wages (but not rent increases) and amend the rules on pension ages. That strike was supported by members of the Christian union ACV, although it was not officially backed by ACV leadership.
While rejecting another strike next month, ABVV did say that it would intensify its actions on raising awareness of the problems of unemployment, pensions and European-wide cuts to public services. Protests will take place on 12 May to publicise youth employment, and 28 May has been designated Tax Justice Day. Other actions will take place throughout June.
“We will continue to take a stand against this government and use whatever resources are available to do so,” said a federal committee spokesperson. “Striking will be done whenever necessary. As long as this government’s money-saving policy is maintained, the workers have no choice but to continue with social resistance.”
Photo: A protestor lights a flare in front of the prime minister’s office in Brussels last Wednesday
©Yves Herman/Reuters/Corbis
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