Belgium

InBev, the world's second-largest beer producer by volume, said on Monday that it had struck a deal with its Belgian workers to end a round of industrial action that had hampered its operations. The company has said in a statement that the agreement was positive for both itself and its workers.

Starting at 6.30, citywide buses and trams were completely shut down. Metro services were reported to be overcrowded beyond capacity.

The latest offer was approved by 69,6% of workers at a General Assembly on Tuesday. Workers had refused a management offer of 500 euros in bonuses, a 100 euro christmas bonus and a staff shop selling products from the parent company Procter & Gamble. They eventually settled for a 750 euro bonus paid in three installments with the other benefits included.

The strikes come a week after rail workers launched wildcat action after two colleagues were assaulted. Workers voted 29 to 24 in favour of strike action, agreeing that there would be no blockades or impediments to non-strikers.

The strike began late Monday night at the Mons et La Louvière depot after two conductors were attacked on a train and their colleagues walked out in support. As new shifts arrived from 4:30am more workers joined the action. In all only two conductors crossed pickets and at least 30 trains had been cancelled by 6:30am.

The strike began on Monday after 81% of Syncreon's 250 workers voted in an assembly to reject a new salary structure as it did not includes figures for a salary increase. Workers had been demanding an increase of one euro per hour.

The strike began at the Cointe branch of GB (owned by the Carrefour chain) after a union representative was sacked after an accusation that he had altered his timecard. The strike spread to the Flémalle branch the following day and workers walked out at Ans on Saturday. Workers are also currently demanding that the company respect agreed practises over working hours.

According to flandersnews.be, workers on the morning shift refused to go back to work after their mid-morning break, complaining that their wages had not been paid out correctly.

The strike was called by the Independent Rail-workers' Union (SIC). Although this is one of the smaller unions, officials predicted roughly 50% observance by workers in Flanders and slightly less in Wallonia. The strike began at 4:30am and ended at roughly midnight when the day's last train was due to run.

The 122 workers are currently employed by the maintenance of military engines division of Techspace Aero, at Herstal. The US manufacturer Pratt & Withney has just bought the division and workers want assurances over their jobs. 75% of the workforce have been with the company for 20 years or more.

The agreement guarantees that, in the event of a grievance, all other avenues of dialogue will be exploited before a strike is called, according to Belgian financial daily L'Echo.

According to La Libre Belgique, the text states its aim as 'guaranteeing social harmony' at the airport.

Ryanair is demanding £1m compensation from the christian CNE union for a wildcat strike by security staff in June. In addition they are demanding that workers agree to maintain a minimum service during strike action. The union has reacted angrily to these attacks on the right to strike.

In a vote on Friday 78% of workers rejected management's offer. After this rejection a meeting had been planned between management and the unions for Wednesday. At 10am the workers spontaneously stopped working.

The BBC reported that all flights in and out of Ryanair's Belgian hub at Charleroi airport were grounded on Friday after security staff walked out in a wildcat strike.

A row over the privatisation of public sector security personnel caused the disruption, which began at dawn and spread to Liege airport in the east.

An estimated 8,000 passengers have been affected by the action so far.

The worker has been accused of falsifying an expenses claim by claiming payments for hours spent on union tasks from the management, resulting in his being paid twice for them.

120 of the 200 striking workers at SLM, a Ford subcontractor in Gent, refused to participate in the vote.

Fellow strikers at another subcontractor, Lear Corporations, also found the agreement totally unsatisfactory and also refused to vote on the plan.

A spokesman for Aviapartner, the airport management company stated that all workers would return to work by tomorrow morning after an agreement was reached. Managament agreed to increase the number of stuff on duty and to increased safety measures with dangerous substances.

The were also walkouts in Ittre and Braine l'Alleud. Workers' representatives at meetings yesterday obtained some concessions. Management gave way on the organisation of routes and the need for extra workers on those routes.

However management stood firm on the issue of fixed-term contracts, refusing to make these contracts permanent.

Drivers at the Onoz depot on the Namur-Luxembourg line walked out at 4am Monday 12 March in protest against a new annual leave system.

Victor Dave
Born Jambes, Belguim 1845. Died Paris, France 1922

Victor Dave was born in Jambes, near Namur in Belgium on February 25th, 1845. Son of a senior judge (President of the Cour des Comptes Belge) he completed his higher education at the Faculty of Letters in Liège and the Free University in Brussels.