Around 5,500 trade unionists gathered outside Brussels North Railway Station on Monday to take part in a demonstration to show their solidarity with workers whose jobs are under threat at the Audi Brussels car plant in the Brussels municipality of Vorst. The demonstration is generally peaceful if at times noisy.
5,500 trade unionists demonstrate to show their solidarity with workers at Audi Brussels
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In addition to the situation at the Audi car plant, the demonstrators also aim to highlight the loss of jobs in manufacturing industry elsewhere in Belgium. Among those taking part in the demonstration is the leader of the Francophone socialist party Paul Magnette.
One of the demonstrators told VRT News that "I have come here carrying the Van Hool flag in honour of my former colleagues”
“We have noted little reaction from politicians and we want a decent solution for people that are now facing a frightening time”, another demonstrator said.
First and foremost, the demonstration was called to express concern about what may be the impending closure of Audi Brussels car plant in Vorst. The plan employs 3,000 people with many more being employed by Audi Brussels’ suppliers. However, the demonstration is about more than Audi Brussels alone. The unions want politicians to come up with a plan to protect manufacturing industry in Belgium.
“Let us work together, let us devise an action plan, include this the policy programme for the new government o that something is done to help manufacturing industry”, the socialist trade union ABVV’s Lieve De Preter told VRT News.
The Federation of Belgian Enterprises (FEB) is critical of the unions' decision to hold a day of action. “A day of action and not working is not what industry needs right now. If they want to raise awareness, they could have done so outside working hours without further damaging the already fragile economic fabric.”