The Brussels fire service’s trade unions are on strike ‘indefinitely’ following a meeting with Brussels PM Boris Dilliès (Francophone liberal MR) about staff shortages at which no progress was made, the unions have announced. Dilliès regrets that the meeting did not yield any results.
Fire engines in Brussels remain at the fire station, as the strike continues. Unions are demanding more resources for staff and more equipment. “There are simply too few staff,” says Patrick Giebens of socialist trade union ACOD.
“As a result, fire stations often have to call on colleagues for help, which leads to longer response times. What’s more, there is also a shortage at the emergency control centre. In the event of a fire, every second counts.”
Pressure on politicians
It sounds like a persistent problem that was already raised several months ago. “We don’t want to strike, but it’s our last resort,” says Yves De Vogelaere of Christian trade union ACV. “We want to put pressure on the political parties.”
The result: there was already a strike on New Year’s Eve, and work was also downed Tuesday on the national holiday. The strike was initially intended to last just 24 hours, but it continued Wednesday because no talks took place with the Brussels government.
Wednesday afternoon, the trade union coalition comprising the ACV, the ACOD and the independent VSOA finally met with Brussels PM, Boris Dilliès.
No results
Following the meeting, both the trade unions and Dilliès stated that the talks had achieved little. According to Steven Gilissen (ACV), the Brussels government is not offering any solution to tackle staff shortages in good time and to remedy underfunding. “Dilliès is even offering us less than what was initially decided by the government.”
In the meantime, the Brussels fire service continues to operate at a third of its capacity. “We are trying to provide at least some protection for Brussels with minimal staffing levels. In the event of large-scale operations, fire crews from outside Brussels can be called upon.”