A strike by drivers that work for the Flemish public transport company De Lijn that caused serious disruption to bus services in the west of Flemish Brabant and parts of East Flanders on Thursday has now spread to bus depots in the east of Antwerp Province.
Strike by bus drivers spreads as drivers in the east of Antwerp Province walk out
Published:
As on Thursday De Lijn’s services in (the west of) Brussels and the areas around Halle, Grimbergen, Asse, Vilvoorde (Flemish Brabant), Ninove and Dendermonde (East Flanders) are seriously impacted by the strike. On Friday drivers at the Heist-op-den-Berg depot and various other depots in the Kempen area, in the east of Antwerp Province joint the strike.
The drivers are taking strike action in protest at a new shift rostering system that will come into force from 1 January 2025. Under the new system driver will be obliged to work far more split shifts than is currently the case. The drivers say that the new rosterin g system has been imposed on them without due consultation with their representatives on the Works Council.
Thursday’s action led to a large number of bus services being cancelled over a wide area to the west of Brussels. The unions and management at De Lijn held talks on Thursday but no agreement was reached.
De Lijn advises passengers to consult its online route planner to check whether or not the bus they wish to take is running.