Railway strike planned for 26 to 30 January

Belgian trade unions are planning a railway strike from Monday 26 to Friday 30 January in response to a draft bill by mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés), which was approved by the federal government shortly before Christmas.

The bill will put an end to permanent appointments at Belgian railway operator SNCB and railway infrastructure management company Infrabel from June 2026 as a means of "preparing SNCB" for competition in the passenger transport sector by 2032.

By that date, EU member states will have to put their national public operators in charge of passenger transport in competition with private rail operators.

“This is an unacceptable political decision,” said Pierre Lejeune, national chairman of the ACOD Spoor union, who fears that staff will lose "essential guarantees" as a result.

Railway unions are also upset about a change in the rules for social consultation. According to Lejeune, the qualified two-thirds majority, which was previously required for important decisions in the joint committee, is being manipulated.

“The draft law stipulates that if this majority is not achieved, the matter will be referred to HR Rail [the legal entity that employs Belgian railway workers] where the board members alone can decide,” Lejeune said.

ACV Transcom union’s Koen De Mey noted that such a practice does not even exist in the private sector: “There, too, the approval of at least one of the social partners is required.”

The government has also decided to reduce SNCB funding by €675 million during this legislative period, which Lejeune said was "very worrying" in regards to pensions.

It is reported that SNCB staff could have to work until the age of 67 from 2027 onwards and pensions would be calculated on the basis of salary throughout the entire career, rather than the last 10 years.

However, according to De Mey, the legislative work on pension reform has been delayed: “The Council of State still has to consider the government's proposals. It is possible that more clarity on this will only be available in March.”

According to the railway unions, there is little chance of avoiding the strike through negotiations with management.

“We’re open to consultation as long as there is a possible basis for agreement, but I have my doubts,” said Lejeune.

“We’ve already had two rounds of negotiations with the minister, which have been unsuccessful. I don't see how our situation could change, because our room for manoeuvre is very limited.”

De Mey said the intention would be to have different categories of staff strike on different days.

The consequences of the week-long strike for passengers are not yet clear, although SCNB will work on alternative services based on the number of staff who will be striking.

The federal government has stood by the bill, arguing that "the Belgian model, based on widespread statutory recruitment, no longer allows us to respond with the necessary flexibility to the challenges of tomorrow", according to Minister Crucke.

“Like other European operators, a gradual adaptation of the HR framework is essential to guarantee the competitiveness of SNCB and Infrabel, the continuity of public service and the sustainability of essential missions,” the mobility minister said in a statement.

“SNCB and Infrabel will become fully responsible for the operational management of human resources, including selection, recruitment, training and functional decisions.

"The HR strategy must therefore evolve towards a more flexible contractual model while maintaining a sustainable level of protection."

CSC Transcom union’s Marianne Lerouge described the decision as a "poisoned gift".

“It’s a very liberal and dogmatic desire on the part of this government to want, at all costs, to move towards widespread contractualisation across all public services without taking into account specific needs, particularly in terms of safety on the Belgian railways,” said Lerouge.

Lerouge and unions are defending the status of railway workers because railway jobs "cannot be learned at school" and require "several years of commitment and loyalty to the company"

The prospect of permanent appointments with the company would therefore attract candidates, according to the unions.

“The private sector may offer a company car and bonuses, but with us, it is job stability and working and holiday conditions that will attract young people to join us,” Lerouge said.

“It’s really very important that people are not dismissed en masse, as can happen with contract workers.”