Throughout the week, fewer trains than usual will be running in Belgium due to a new five-day rail strike that began on Sunday evening. The national solidarity action in Brussels against the socio-economic policy of the current Arizona coalition government may also disrupt various bus, tram, and metro lines operated by De Lijn in Flanders, MIVB/STIB in Brussels, and, especially, LETEC in Wallonia.

Due to the large-scale strike action, the counter now stands at 32 strike days since the beginning of 2025. “Enough is enough,” says passenger organization TreinTramBus.

Row over statutes, pensions, and savings

The unions are protesting a bill approved by the federal government and proposed by Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) that would end permanent employment at public railway NMBS/SNCB and network manager Infrabel from June 2026.

Politicians also want to reduce the minimum rest period between shifts from 14 hours to 11 hours and further extend the maximum shift length from 9 hours.

The draft bill also provides for changes to social consultation. The qualified two-thirds majority, previously required for important decisions in the joint industrial committee, can be circumvented in the future, allowing decisions to be made without the approval of at least one of the unions.

Other issues are also at stake, such as raising the retirement age to 67, the calculation of pensions (based on the entire career rather than the last ten years, which means a lower pension for some employees), and the government’s decision to reduce the financing of the NMBS/SNCB by 675 million during this legislative period.

Minister stands firm

Whether the strikes will have a significant impact on the minister and the rest of the government remains to be seen. In any case, Minister Crucke does not intend to renegotiate the statute with the unions.

Two agreements had already been reached, but were subsequently rejected by the unions’ supporters. “I tried to negotiate, I tried to take responsibility until the very end, but now it is time for us to take responsibility in parliament,” says the minister.

Crucke emphasizes that the reform is not directed against staff or train passengers but serves to prepare the NMBS/SNCB for the liberalization of the railways in 2032.

He noted that maintaining the statutes will cost an additional 150 million euros in the coming years and that they no longer exist in France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. “We are the last ones with such a statute that allows no flexibility whatsoever.”

Rotating strike

In the event of a rail strike, Infrabel and NMBS/SNCB will draw up an alternative timetable based on the employees who indicate that they will be working. This timetable may vary from day to day and will be announced at least 24 hours before the start of the strike day.

The strike notice also covers all staff members during the five days of action, but the rail unions are calling on different categories of staff to strike on different days, i.e., a rotating strike.

Such a rotating strike has been introduced to have as much impact as possible with as few strikers as possible. “The aim is to reduce the number of trains to a minimum and to ensure that the entities continue to pay wages as much as possible,” says the union VSOA Spoor. “That is why we are asking staff to strike on three of the five days.”

TreinTramBus not amused

The strike action does not amuse the traveler’s organization, TreinTramBus. Since the first day of the strike on January 13 last year, and including the upcoming strike, the number of strike days will reach 32.

“That’s a full month of uncertainty and misery for travelers. What have they done to deserve this?” wonders TreinTramBus. “We come to the same conclusion as Federal Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke: enough is enough.”

TreinTramBus also refers to the liberalization of the railways planned for 2032, which could see NMBS/SNCB face competition for domestic rail traffic. “Strikes do not help to position NMBS/SNCB as an efficient and trustworthy railway company in the market,” it says, while criticizing the federal government’s austerity plans for the railway company.

Dissatisfaction at LETEC too

The socialist trade union ABVV is also organizing a National Day of Action today against the policies and plans of the current federal government. This may cause disruptions and delays on various bus, tram, and metro lines operated by De Lijn in Flanders and MIVB/STIB in Brussels.

At the Walloon transport company LETEC, the actions are not limited to a single day but are expected to continue indefinitely throughout the week, parallel to the five-day rail strike.

The discontent among LETEC drivers stems from announced government cutbacks and reforms. As with the NMBS/SNCB, drivers complain about excessive workloads caused by unfilled vacancies, which they believe jeopardize the safety and reliability of the service.

But they also complain about the cost-cutting measures that are detrimental to their working conditions, such as flexible working hours, the recovery of hours worked in hot weather, arrangements for long-term sick leave, and compulsory minimum service during strikes. At LETEC, there is no guaranteed minimum service during strikes, unlike at NMBS/SNCB.