National strike causes major disruptions to Brussels public transport
Public transport in the Brussels-Capital Region was significantly disrupted on Monday morning due to action by the joint union front in support of workers at the Audi factory in Forest.
The unions at STIB are participating in the action to denounce the job losses in the industrial sector in Belgium. Only a few lines were operational on Monday morning.
Passengers are asked to keep an eye on the company's website, app and social media, where STIB will post real-time updates throughout the day.
The staff at the Flemish and Walloon bus operators, De Lijn and TEC, will not be joining the strike. Likewise, the national railway operator, SNCB, does not anticipate any disruptions.
The immediate reason for the demonstration is the imminent closure of the Audi Brussels car plant, where 3,000 jobs are threatened, although the unions say they want to address problems in the Belgian manufacturing industry in general.
Audi Brussels management and unions reached an agreement on Friday on the restart of the plant. Work should resume on Tuesday. The future of the plant, however, remains uncertain.
© BELGA PHOTO THIERRY ROGE
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