CPAS social welfare organisations on strike over cuts to unemployment benefit

Workers at Belgium's social welfare organisations (CPAS) held a strike on Thursday to denounce the reform of long-term unemployment benefits and a general lack of resources in the social sector.

Picket lines and leafleting began at 7.30 and a march was held in Brussels, resulting in several centres being closed for the entire day.

Unions say the reform aimed at limiting unemployment benefits to two years is worrying. The CPAS estimates that more than 120,000 people could be excluded from unemployment benefits in Belgium.

The organisations therefore fear a massive influx of new claimants while already strapped for resources, especially after it was recently announced that the financial compensation promised to manage the consequences of the measure will not arrive immediately.

“As things stand today, it's not possible – with 90 or even 100 cases for integration income alone, it's already complicated,” said Anthony Gobessi, a social worker at the CPAS in La Louvière.

“On top of that, you have to add all the social assistance requests - and even then, we already find that we don't have enough time.

"With everything we are hearing about what is planned, it is clearly frightening, because we need reinforcements and we realise that it is sometimes difficult to find social workers who apply to work for the CPAS. With all the applications that are likely to come in, we have no idea where we are heading - it is a complete unknown."

The unions also denounced the shortage of staff in CPAS offices across all functions, as well as the discontinuation or reduction of many subsidies.

“I think it will be impossible, both financially, as most CPAS are already in the red, and in terms of support, as we already lack the staff to carry out the social surveys and provide the necessary support,” said Luc Vandormael, president of the Walloon CPAS federation.

Unions criticised the expansion of the required qualifications, which they see as denigrating the profession of social worker, and have concerns about plans to merge local authorities and CPAS in an effort to simplify administration. Specifically, unions fear this could have consequences for the specific tasks of the CPAS.

Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), responsible for social integration, said she was “committed to discussion and finding solutions at government level,” according to Sébastien Lepoivre, president of the Brussels CPAS Federation, after meeting with the minister.

Photo: Eric Lalmand/Belga