Rail strike ended, but alternative timetable still applies the entire evening
© Jimmy Kets
The nine -day rail strike ended in principle on Sunday evening at 10 pm, but the alternative timetable still applies all evening until the last train. The NMBS reports this.
The strike ended on Sunday evening at 10 pm, but only on Monday is there a normal train service. NMBS spokesperson Bart Crols reports this. That is because NMBS and rail network manager Infrabel always prepare a new timetable based on who has indicated that he works that day. On Sunday, the last strike day, for example, two in three IC, S and L trains will ride. And almost all of the P-student trains also run.
The reason for the social unrest at the track is the new federal government and a series of reform plans it has. This concerns, among other things, increasing the retirement age – railway people can now retire in some cases for 55 years – and about savings at the railway. « The budget process for the next five years will set the savings for railway company NMBS at 675 million euros, » say the railway unions. They expect « even fewer staff and even more productivity. »
Even more strikes planned
The first track strike since the new federal government took place, there was immediately one of nine days. She was an initiative of the smaller unions OVS and ASTB. More strikes are planned for the coming weeks and months. For example, the largest rail unions, ACOD Spoor and ACV-Transcom, will deposit the work on Monday 17 March. Both trade unions also participate in the general strike of the public services on 31 March. From April they threaten with four strike days per month. And the small railway union Metisp Protect submits a strike notice for Sunday 23 to Sunday 30 March.
