Brussels Airlines cabin crew will strike for three days next week for better pay and lower work pressure | Domestic

Brussels Airlines cabin crew will strike on Wednesday February 28, Thursday February 29 and Friday March 1, during the school holidays in French-speaking education. Last week, the unions warned against actions with the risk of “serious disruptions”.

The dissatisfaction among stewards and stewardesses mainly revolves around their pay and workload. During the corona crisis, cabin crew lost wages and productivity was increased, including shortened rest periods, says Jolinde Defieuw of ACV Puls. “In other words, they work harder for less pay. But that is no longer sustainable.” Now that Brussels Airlines is doing better financially, the stewards and stewardesses want their share of the pie.

A strike was narrowly avoided in December, but since then “not many concrete solutions have emerged,” says Defieuw. There was a proposal on the table, but it was voted down by the union supporters. And there was no response to an ultimatum from the Christian union, the union woman adds. That is why it was decided to take action.

A meeting with management is planned for Tuesday. According to Brussels Airlines spokesperson Nico Cardone, management will do everything it can to prevent a strike. The other unions do not join the call for strikes. They first want to give the consultation every opportunity, says Olivier Van Camp of the socialist trade union BBTK. “We will evaluate after Tuesday’s meeting,” said Tim Roelandt of the liberal trade union ACLVB.

There has been social unrest at Brussels Airlines for some time, including among the pilots and ground staff. In mid-January there was a 24-hour strike among the pilots. Two out of three flights then had to be cancelled. About ten days later, a number of technicians from the maintenance department in turn stopped work.