Pilots end industrial action, but dispute continues

Sea and coastal pilots in Belgium have ended their industrial action, but tensions over pension reforms remain.

The strike, organised by pilots linked to the ACOD trade union, ended on Saturday morning. According to the Maritime Services and Coast Agency (MDK), efforts are now underway to clear delays, with 37 ships still waiting, most of them in the North Sea.

During the action, only Dutch pilots were operating, while Belgian pilots were largely unavailable. The dispute is part of a long-running disagreement between pilots and the government over pension changes.

25 ships waiting due to industrial action maritime pilots

Maritime pilots affiliated with the socialist trade union ACOD are taking industrial action from Friday against the federal government’s pension...

belganewsagency.eu

The strikes have previously caused major disruption to ports, including Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge, and have affected port operations.

Although the latest action has ended, dissatisfaction among pilots remains high. New strikes are still possible, and reports suggest there is little chance of an agreement being reached this summer between the pilots’ professional association and the office of Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder.

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