The socialist and Christian trade unions are today protesting against the De Wever I federal government's socio-economic cuts by holding a general 24-hour strike.
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Belgium’s biggest unions stage general strike: transport widely disrupted
Colin Clapson
Published:
The strike has hit public transport, but many people who are not participating in the protest may have decided to work from home today. It was pretty calm on the roads. Nowhere were traffic jams of any significance reported. On Monday morning, 6.55am there were 30 kilometres of traffic jams.
‘For this time of day, it is exceptionally quiet on the roads,’ says VRT traffic expert Hajo Beeckman. ‘There are no traffic jams of any significance anywhere.’
Public transport hit in Brussels: Handful of metros, trams and buses running in the capital
Brussels transport company MIVB announced that a handful of buses, metros and trams will be running.
Metros: line 1 will run.
Trams: running on lines 4, 7, 10 and 51.
Buses: 46, 59, 71, 73 (extended to Erasmus) and 87 (extended from Simonis to Zwarte Vijvers) running.
For updates, check the site mivb.brussels or the app, or call 070-23 20 00.
At Brussels Airport, in Zaventem (Flemish Branat), security staff and luggage handler are on strike. As a result, no passenger flights will depart today. Nearly 250 departing flights were scheduled.
Arriving flights will also be affected by the strike. Passengers landing at Brussels Airport today should check the latest information on their flight with their airline or on the airport website.
Flagcarrier Brussels Airlines is carrying out few flights this Monday. The airline has cancelled all departing flights as well as most arrivals, except for a dozen or so, mainly from Germany, Italy and Spain. On a normal day, Brussels Airport operates about 200 flights. Already last week, passengers who were due to fly on 31 March could rebook their flight or ask for a refund.
At Charleroi Airport, the strike means all flights are cancelled, both departing and arriving flights. Due to a shortage of staff, the safety of operations could not be assured. Passengers who planned to fly on 31 March can rebook their flights or request a refund.
Strike hits Port of Antwerp-Bruges
The general strike is also affecting the port of Antwerp-Bruges. It is harder for ships to get in and out of the port because of strike action by pilots, traffic control staff, lock workers and staff at tug services, says spokesperson Elke Verbeelen.
‘In Antwerp, 70 per cent of the tug services set to work this morning. Half of all the locks are operational, including one for seagoing navigation. Meanwhile, in Antwerp, some 30 ships are waiting to enter or leave the port.’
In Zeebrugge (West Flanders), there is less disruption. ‘There, the lock operated all night. Ships that do not need a pilot can arrive and depart. However, there are still between five and 10 ships waiting.’