There will be yet more disruption for rail passengers later this month one of the smaller unions that represent rail workers has announced a week of strike action starting on the evening of Sunday 23 March. The union first issued a strike notice two weeks ago and on Thursday evening confirmed the dates on which its members will take industrial action.
Smaller rail union METISP-Protect to take industrial action between 23 and 30 March
Published:
The 7-day strike will start at 10pm on Sunday 23 March and will last until Sunday 30 March. Members of the union will strike for one or more days on a profession-by-profession basis. Train drivers that are members METISIP-Protect will strike from the evening of Sunday 23 until the evening of Tuesday 25 March, from 10pm on Tuesday 25 until 10pm on Wednesday 26 March train guards will strike.
During the last two days of the strike (from 10pm on Friday 28 until 10pm on Sunday 30 March) members of the union will “be free to choose for themselves” when to strike. METISIP-Protect members that are neither drivers nor guards are free to chose when they strike during the week of industrial action.
METISP-Protect has about 1,600 members. It is unclear whether the action will have a major impact on rail traffic. The union itself predicts “serious disruption” and asks passengers to show understanding. Like the other rail unions, METISP-Protect opposes cuts at the Belgian rail company NMBS and measures planned by federal government such as an increase in retirement age for rail workers.
METISP-Protect's action follows a nine-day strike by two other smaller railway unions OVS and ASTB in late February and early March. In addition to this, the two biggest rail unions, ACOD Spoor and ACV-Transcom, plan e 18 one-day-strikes between now and July. There first 24-hour strike will start at 10pm next Sunday evening.