Belgium
Belgium: rail-workers begin first one-day strike
Belgian rail-workers launched a one-day strike action on Saturday in support of their demands for new staff and a pay increase.
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.
Belgium: Techspace Aero workers launch strike
The workers voted on Monday morning to launch strike action demanding assurances over jobs.
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.
Belgian airport union signs minimum service agreement
The airport security union representing workers at Brussels South Charleroi Airport signed an agreement with the Wallonian regional government which guarantees a minimum level of service in the event of future strikes, according to Belgian weekend press reports.
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.
Belgium: Ryanair threatens to axe services after wildcat strike
Ryanair has suspended bookings for flights to and from Brussels' Charleroi airport from November 12.
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.
Belgium: Wildcat strike at Volvo Europa factory
Workers at the truck factory in Oostakker, walked out during negotiations over pay.
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.
Belgium: Flights grounded by wildcat strike
Thousands were affected when security guards at Charleroi airport walked out in a row over privatisation
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.
Belgium: Wildcat strike by bus drivers
Wildcat strike action began on Friday morning at the Haren Bus Depot which is in a suburb of Brussels, after workers learnt that a colleague had been fired.
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.
Belgium: car workers refuse union compromise
Strikers at car firm SLM refused to vote on an agreement made by unions, judging the salary increase to be too low.
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.
Belgium: Nivelles postal workers still out on strike.
Workers in the Nivelles offices decided to continue their strike after management refused to award permanent contracts to fixed term workers.
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.
Belgium: Aviapartner workers strike after fatal accident.
After a fatal accident last wednesday airport workers in Ostende went on a wildcat strike.
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.
