EFFAT supports today’s general strike organised by the Belgian trade unions FGTB, CSC and CGSLB.
The Belgian Interprofessional Agreement for 2019-2020 is currently being negotiated.
Although the economy is growing as well as shareholders’ dividends and companies’ profit, employers’ organisations, with the support of the government, do not want to deviate from a maximum salary increase of 0,8%!
EFFAT staff joined the picket line in front of the AB-InBev factory in Leuven as well as the demonstration in front of the Parliament of Brussels-Capital.
Belgian trade union demands are e.g.:
- A 10% increase of the minimum wage
- A Better work-life balance
- More open-ended contracts, less precarious jobs and less pressure at the workplace
- A stronger social security system
- Decent pensions
Harald Wiedenhofer, EFFAT General Secretary, commenting on today’s strike said: “Today, trade unions are demonstrating in Belgium, last Saturday, more than 350 000 people took to the streets in Rome, warning strikes are taking place in the German public sector, and other actions are foreseen in other countries as well. The trade unions’ voice needs to be heard! Workers in Europe deserve a pay rise and better jobs!”
