Several thousand non-profit sector workers took part in a demonstration in Brussels on Tuesday morning. The police counted 7,000 demonstrators, the trade unions that organised the march say that 10,000 people took part. Those protesting work in (health)care, welfare and cultural establishments. 18,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in January. The protesters are demanding extra funding for the non-profit sector that the say is suffering from structural staff shortages and long waiting lists for patients.
Tuesday morning’s demonstration is the second in which the entire non-profit sector, both federal and regional, has taken part. Staff from, amongst other places, hospitals, care homes, home care services, and childcare facilities took part in the protest. They were united in their demand for extra staff, increased capacity and better pay and conditions. They also called for measure to address the issue of excess workload.
The unions want measures to be taken in both the short and the medium term. Additional funding now is essential they say. The office of the Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Flemish socialist) has invited the unions for talks next week.
There was an incident between the police and members of the far-right party Vlaams Belang (video above). The police say that as the presence of members of the party at the demonstration was deemed to be a threat to public order (potential confrontation with other demonstrators) the Police Commissioner decided to ask his officers to separate the Vlaams Belang members from the other demonstrators.
The Brussels Police spokeswoman Ilse Van de keere told journalists that “This involved some pushing and shoving. What exactly happened is being looked into internally”.
Vlaams Belang says that several of its MPs were prevented from taking part in the demonstration on te orders of Brussels’ Francophone socialist Mayor Philippe Close. The party also alleges that its leader Tom Van Grieken was hit in the face by a police officer.