Belgian prison officers on 24-hour strike

Prison officers across Belgium went on a 24-hour strike as of Thursday at 22.00, reports Serge De Prez of the Christian trade union ACV-CSC. The strike affects all prisons in the country, said the trade unionist. He could not say whether all the striking officers would be replaced by police officers.

The three unions bemoan a lack of response from the new government to prison officers’ complaints, such as overcrowding and prison infrastructure, as well as issues with contracts and working hours.

About nine out of 10 officers participated in the morning shift of the national 24-hour strike by picketing out front, but those willing to work are not being stopped. Free liberal union secretary Frank Serlet estimates that 10 to 15% of the guards worked the morning shift, while Civil Defence and the police filled in for the guards on strike.