Local government unions will take action tomorrow, possibly nuisance at daycare centers and garbage collection | Interior

Tomorrow’s action is an initiative of the common trade union front (ACV Public Services, ACOD LRB and VSOA-lrb). They are angry about the plans of Minister of the Interior Bart Somers (Open VLD). In those plans, tenured civil servants from local and provincial governments could be dismissed under the same rules as contractual employees. Municipalities would also be given more autonomy in terms of personnel policy, in particular regarding remuneration or leave arrangements.

The unions fear political arbitrariness and “a race to the bottom”. They also fear that if the provincial governments are abolished, civil servants will find themselves on the street en masse. During the discussion in the Flemish parliament, the trade unions already argued. Tomorrow will be a strike day.

The consequences are not yet completely clear, but will be visible here and there, can be heard in trade union circles. The effect of a strike can be felt immediately, especially in daycare centers or at household waste collection, it is said.

In other city departments or provincial administrations, the consequences will be felt mainly behind the scenes. The unions are planning even more actions in the coming months, if the mediation with the Flemish government does not yield any results. Tomorrow morning there will also be a demonstration at the offices of BluePoint in Berchem (Antwerp). The employers are holding a conference on “local government as an attractive employer”. The common trade union front expects about 500 militants on site.