The unions have filed a strike notice for the federal public services. They are dissatisfied that the government has postponed the increase in purchasing power for civil servants.
The unions do not accept that the federal government does not respect a preliminary agreement of June. During the budget talks, the government decided not to fully implement the agreed wage increase. The officials have to wait longer for their first meal vouchers, among other things.
“Federal civil servants have been waiting for more than twenty years for a wage increase above that index,” the unions said. They demand that “social dialogue be taken seriously again”.
The unions threaten weekly actions on Wednesday. “We will step up our actions and if the government continues to ignore us, there will also be harsh actions,” said Stefaan Slaghmuylder of VSOA.
The strike notice will take effect on November 9, the day the unions plan a national day of action. The notice runs for an indefinite period, according to Silvana Bossio of the Christian trade union ACV Public Services.
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