Conner Rousseau rightly points out the unions: « Strike leads to the melting of support »

« There were a lot of ugly things on the table during the negotiations about the trade unions, » says Vooruit chairman Conner Rousseau on Radio 1. « People actually wanted to abolish them. We stopped that. The trade unions saved ahead. » He shows himself understanding for the big strike day that puts the unions on the leech, but at the same time warns that they will pass their goal. « I fear that the nuisance that people experience leads to the melting of support for the unions. I notice that especially among young people. »

In terms of correction, that can count from a socialist party chairman. It took a long time for the Flemish socialists to join the Arizona government. Eventually they agreed with many of the reforms that the unions are now storming. The socialist ABVV first.

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It does show the uncomfortable spread position of the socialists. On the one hand, an important part of their traditional supporters are in the unions, on the other hand, as a government party, they are supposed to defend the compromise. Whatever Rousseau does. Such as the investments in Defense for example. “ »It’s getting crazy out there. We have to strengthen ourselves, or it will all get much worse.  » And even the large socio-economic reforms are « needed », but at the same time he points to the fact that the automatic indexation remains, which Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) wanted to delete.

At the union they still have to see it all happen. « What if the social partners cannot reach an agreement on an adjustment of the index before the end of 2026? », Responds general secretary Bert Engelaar of the ABVV. « I want to keep it ahead, but I am not very sure about MR and N-VA. » He has no problem to admit that the socialists have left their mark on certain points, « but there are still plenty of things that I cannot accept as a syndicalist. We each have to play our role ».

« There are still enough things in the coalition agreement that I as a syndicalist cannot accept. We each have to play our role »

Bert Engelaar

General Secretary of the ABVV

He and the colleagues of the ACV would put their own support away, he does not want to have said. « That will take months or even years, » says Engelaar. « And I do see effects. Just think of the bottleneck professions and the limitation of unemployment benefits over time. Or to the artists’ statute. You notice that some parties are trying to formulate an answer. »

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They remain small adjustments or loose ends. The coalition agreement itself will not change much anymore. « That strike was announced and somewhat expected, » says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Pensions Jan Jambon (N-VA) Laconiek. « We are a reform government that implements large reforms in many areas, and that always brings some friction with it. If you do not implement them now, real catastrophic measures will threaten within five to ten years. »

And at CD&V, that other party with a traditional supporters at the trade union, the criticism of the unions sounds a lot harder than at Rousseau. « In total there will be 65 strike days in six months, » writes CD&V chairman Sammy Mahdi on social media. « That is one day out of three. How hard can you hollow out the right to strike? Of course there are still worries, but you still stop striking and turn to the table. And realize that we have more than 500 billion euros in debts that our grandchildren will have to pay off. »