As part of their ongoing dispute the unions that represent the country’s police officers have called on their members to, wherever possible, not issue any fines for traffic offences. The unions say that they have issued their call because the Federal Government has failed to respect an agreement on wage increases and measures for police officers that are nearing the end of their career.
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Police unions call on members not to issue traffic fines for a whole month
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The call is backed by all four unions (VSOA, NSPV, ACV and ACOD) that represent the country’s police officers. The four unions have declared the period between 15 December and 15 January a “fine-free month”. During this time traffic fines will only be issued if the traffic offence committed constitutes dangerous driving. Carlos Medo of the independent police union NSPV told VRT News that it is up to individual police officers to assess each individual cases.
“We are asking them to, in situations where it is possible, rather than filing a crime report tell the motorist what they have done wrong”.
This means that traffic offices such as driving while using a mobile phone, not wearing a seat belt and riding a bicycle without lights could remain unpunnished. With regard to speeding too it will be up to individual police officers to decide whether or not to issue a fine. However, the unions won’t say whether or not mobile speed traps will be set up between 15 December and 15 January.
Vincent Houssin of the liberal union VSOA told VRT News that "We will see".
Dissatisfaction about pay offer
The police unions are involved in an ongoing dispute with the Federal Government over pay. Early this year an agreement was reached that would have increased police officers’ take-home pay by 60 euro in 2023. However, in the agreement reached by the Federal Cabinet on next year’s budget the pay increase was staggered over 3 years. The unions say that the Federal Government has broken its word.
The Federal Government has also made the pay increase conditional on reforms to the system that currently allows police officers to retire at 58. From next year the earliest age at which the country’s policemen and women can retire will gradually increase each year. By 2030 police officers will not be able to retire until they are 63.
The unions say that the agreement made with the Federal Government on police officer’s earliest retirement date was different to what the government now wishes to implement. NSPV’s Carlo Medo told VRT News that “We now want to send out a signal that the government has broken its word”.