The trade unions that represent the country’s police officers are taking action at Brussels Airport in Zaventem (Flemish Brabant) and Charleroi Airport in Hainaut Province. The unions are demanding that the Federal Government respects an agreement on a pay rise for police officers and on arrangements for early retirement that was made earlier this year. Although the police at the airports aren’t striking, they say that it is likely that there will be disruption on what is a particularly busy day coming as it does just ahead on the Christmas and New Year holiday.
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Disruption at the country’s two busiest airports
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The action at the airports is part of a wider series of industrial action that is being taken by the country’s police officers. For example, the unions have called on their members not to issue fines for (minor) traffic offences between 15 December and 15 January. On Tuesday police officers staged a protest walk in Central Brussels and today (Friday) it is the turn of the country’s two busiest airports.
Both at Zaventem Airport just outside Brussels and Charleroi Airport just over 50km south of the capital the four unions (VSOA, NSPV, ACV and ACOD) that represent police officers are staging protests. A total of around 200 police officer gathered at the two airports at 1pm on Friday. Although the unions have not called on their members to strike the airports say that disruption to passengers cannot be ruled out, particularly at identity checkpoints.
Carlo Medo of the NSPV union told VRT News that "We are not going to prevent people from reaching their destination by blocking everything, but there will be disruption. We understand that this isn’t very nice for travelers, but by handing out leaflets we want to explain to people why we are taking action.