Mobility minister calls five-day rail strike 'unreasonable' as Flanders sees heavy traffic
The five-day rail strike that began on Monday is "unreasonable", according to Mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke. Speaking on De Ochtend on Radio 1, Crucke said that "there is a time for everything, but the time for negotiation has now passed".
Railway unions have been on strike since Sunday evening in protest against several government plans. One of their main objections is the abolition of permanent positions for new staff. Crucke said he had already reached two agreements with the unions on reforming the railway statute, but that both were rejected by union members.
"I negotiated with the unions for dozens of hours. I did not force anyone to sign an agreement," he told Radio 1. "It is the right of the rank and file not to agree, but it is also the right of the government to say: we are taking our responsibility and moving forward."
Crucke stressed that the reforms were necessary to prepare the national rail operator SNCB/NMBS for the mandatory liberalisation of the rail sector in 2032. "I do not want railway employees to lose their jobs because there is no flexibility, or because they did not see the competition coming," he said.
Heavy rush-hour traffic
Meanwhile, the Monday morning rush hour on Flemish motorways was particularly heavy. Traffic jams totalled up to 240km, according to the Flemish Traffic Centre. Several accidents caused delays of more than an hour, but the rail strike may also have contributed to the congestion.
Taffic volumes were high across Flanders, but not exceptionally so, the Traffic Centre said. Tuesday could be a different story, it warns.
"During the previous multi-day rail strike, traffic was manageable on the first day," spokesperson Peter Bruyninckx said. "Many people still tried to take the train, but because journeys took so long, they switched to the car on the second day." A similar pattern is expected this week, as train services on Tuesday are set to be more limited than on Monday.
The strike will continue until Friday evening, bringing the total number of strike days in the railway sector to over 30 since the beginning of 2025.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO EMILE WINDAL
Related news
