Flemish home minister Gwendolyn Rutten (liberal) and the Christian union ACV have struck a deal on new statutes for Flemish government workers. Despite hours of negotiations the socialist and liberal unions are not backing the agreement on reforms to the statutes of Flemish civil servants.
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Christian union alone strikes deal over new statutes for Flemish civil servants
Colin Clapson
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The failure of the two latter unions to back the deal means strike action by Flemish lockmasters that started on Monday will continue and navigation on waterways is disrupted.
At 9AM on Wednesday 90 ships were waiting to sail into or out of the port of Antwerp. Dozens of other vessels are stuck on inland waterways.
Gerda De Norre of the liberal union told VRT that her union approved of several points in the deal but could not accept it because of the abolition of life tenure for civil servants.
Minister Rutten spoke of a civil service statute fit for the 21st century: “The most important point is the departure from life tenure. Life tenure won’t be a given for new civil servants. Existing workers retain their rights”.
She also pointed to improved pay for staff in psychiatric hospitals: "Many other points sound pretty technical to the general public but make a big difference to the people involved”.