The consultation meeting will not have been able to convince them. The common front rail unions maintained their strike notice for Tuesday, November 29. HR Rail, the human resources department of SNCB and Infrabel, confirms the information and specifies that an alternative traffic plan will be defined once the exact extent of the mobilization is known.
Strike in sight on the rail on November 29
The movement of grumbling train drivers scheduled for November 30 and December 1 is also confirmed. This is a different action from the first, which only concerns SNCB driving staff. This strike should concern fewer workers but might well block part of the trains on Wednesday and Thursday. Here once more, the SNCB is waiting for the official count of the strikers before establishing an alternative transport plan, which will be communicated on Monday.
End of the year under pressure for Belgian rail
The main unions deplore the deteriorating working conditions and the lack of consistency between the ambitions displayed for rail and the budgets released by the federal government. On the side of the train drivers, it is estimated that the proposals made by the management to lighten the pace of work are insufficient.
HR Rail wants to start discussions around a new social agreement – demanded for two years – as soon as possible, but following the conclusion of the management contracts of the railway companies, which should arrive before the end of the year. The human relations department had also announced 300 additional recruitments next year, bringing the number of new workers to 1,600 for the year 2023.
