Strike will be felt everywhere on Monday: can my child go to the day care center? Are there no trains at all? And what if I don’t get to work?

Who will stop next Monday and why?

The ACV and ABVV trade unions have announced a general strike against the plans of the De Wever government around work and pensions. In the trade union spamlet, the fact is that people have to work longer for a lower pension, are financially punished in the event of illness or unemployment, employees have to be even more flexible and civil servants see their status eroded. Moreover, there is no room for storage, it sounds.

Who is not doing?

The ACLVB Liberal Trade Union does not participate in giving social consultations a chance.

Read too. Why the liberal trade union does not stop on March 31: « It is not that we don’t see the problems »

Which sectors are affected?

Traditionally, such a strike is felt at it public transport.

The NMBS Let it know that half of the IC trains will run on Monday, with the local L-trains and suburban S-trains that is one in three. There are few peaky trains, but the P-student trains on Sunday evening run as normal.

According to Line Will run on average half of all buses and trams throughout Flanders. In the provinces of Antwerp and Limburg, four in ten vehicles ride, in West Flanders and Flemish Brabant half and in East Flanders that is two thirds. In the city of Antwerp a quarter of buses and trams run, in Ghent that is 45 percent. Only three in ten coastal trams also run.

Also the STICB Expect heavy nuisance and calls on her travelers to look for an alternative for journeys in the capital on Monday.

Air traffic will experience heavy hindrance. On Brussels Airport All departing passenger flights will be canceled on Monday and nuisance is also predicted in the upcoming flights. The Airport of Charleroi Go completely close and scraps all flights.

The promotion will also be visible in other public services. For example, the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) already warned of a minimal service at a number of services, such as the household waste or childcare. Citizens can best check the website or social media of their own municipality, it sounds.

By the Police and in the prisons strike notice were submitted for Monday, just like bost. For urgent cases you can of course always go to the emergency number for police help. The mail will not beg letters in many places, but the newspaper will come.

In the education would put the work about one fifth of the teachers. The domes do expect that the impact will be less than during the « historical » strike of January 13, when 34,000 Flemish teachers put down the work.

By the public channel VRT Messages will be heard for the news broadcasts, but the programs will not be disturbed. The culture sector will demonstrate again on Monday at Muntplein in Brussels and the Operaplein in Antwerp. In the non-profit sector There are short work interruptions or information sessions planned here and there.

Read too. Also action at VRT during general strike March 31: Bringing trade unions for news broadcasts

Also the shed Lay the work again on Monday, but the precise impact for shipping traffic will only become clear on Sunday evening.

Also some supermarkets will keep the doors closed. The precise impact remains unclear, but a few Carrefour stores in the province of Antwerp (Schoten, Borsbeek, Schilde and Edegem) and the Lidl store in Balen remain closed for at least a few hours.

The trade unions will set up striking posts all over the country. A number of companies will certainly close, such as steel company Aperam in Genk or the distribution center of Nike In Laakdal. In other companies, a more playful or alternative form of protest is chosen, such as distributing cacti with drug distributor Feelco In Sint-Niklaas.

Are I entitled to a compensation for bus, train or plane?

In the event of a strike, De Lijn does compensate for its travelers, or in certain cases. If you have activated a SMS ticket and your ride does not go ahead, the line will pay it back. All info is on the website.

During the National Strike Day, the NMBS provides an alternative train scheme based on the available staff. You cannot request compensation for a train ride that was said well in advance that it would not be driving. If you are on the platform and your alternative train does not come, then the normal delay rules (at least 60 minutes delay) and you can have a Request compensation.

In the event of a strike at the airport, the passenger is usually not entitled to compensation, unless it is an airline that ceases.

For your waste that is not collected, you will of course not receive any reimbursement. But in many municipalities the container park is extra open on Monday. Just take a look at the website of your municipality or city.

And if the childcare is closed and you have to look for alternative care, it makes sense that you don’t have to pay for that day.

What if I am late for work because of the strike or not there at all?

“Als werkgever moet je het volledige dagloon aan je werknemer betalen indien hij op het ogenblik dat hij zich naar het werk begeeft, geschikt is om te werken. Dit geldt wanneer de werknemer met vertraging aankomt op de werkplek of niet aankomt. De voorwaarde is wel dat die vertraging of afwezigheid te wijten is aan een oorzaak die, onafhankelijk van de wil van de werknemer, overkomen is op de weg naar het werk”, legt Alexia Buyl, Legal Expert bij Partena Professional, out.

Employees who are late or are absent due to nuisance announced well in advance, such as traffic jams or disrupted public transport as a result of a national strike, are in principle not entitled to wages. Because this nuisance was known in advance, employees are expected to take the necessary measures to get to work in time.

And if my child’s school or care is closed and I have no daycare?

« Employees can ask for a day of legal leave, a day of working time if this is possible within the organization, or even unpaid leave, » explains Alexia Buyl of Partena Professional.

“Employees can also opt for telework, an option that is easier if it is about taking care of teenagers than young children. The nature of the job of the employee in question also plays a role. If telework is structurally offered within the organization of the employee, that can be a solution. The employee must then remain productive, which is not possible if there is a young child, if there is constant attention if there is constant attention needs. considered here too. « 

Leave for urgent reasons does not apply to an announced strike. « This type of leave requires unpredictability, which is not the case here. Since the employee has been warned, he or she can make arrangements, » emphasizes Alexia Buyl.