Teachers to join national strike against austerity measures

17 November 2025

Education unions will join two of the three strike days scheduled for next week, they announced on Monday. Teachers have not walked out for two consecutive days in over two decades.

Trade unions in Belgium have called for a three-day national strike against government policy, starting on Monday 24 November and ending on Wednesday 26 November.

“Unprecedented measures call for unprecedented action”

Education unions have submitted strike notices for Tuesday, and teachers may also participate in Wednesday's cross-sector strike. The socialist union ACOD Education has even submitted a separate strike notice for Wednesday.

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Disruption is likely to be greatest in community education. Nancy Libert, general secretary of ACOD Education, said that a two-day strike is necessary. "There is still discussion about the pension measures. That is why it is necessary to take to the streets now, before it is too late," she said.

Pension reform

According to the unions, planned pension reforms would result in an average net loss of between 200 and 300 euros per month for teaching staff. For management, the loss would amount to 1,000 euros.

Teachers have not gone on strike for two consecutive days since 2001. “Unprecedented measures call for unprecedented action,” said Libert.

Teachers have been taking part in shorter national strikes since the beginning of the year. On 13 January, over 34,000 teachers joined a first major strike against the federal government's reform plans.

Quality of education

One in five teachers is considering leaving the education sector due to the government's plans for pension reform, according to a recent survey by the Christian education union ACV-COC.

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"Such an exodus would be catastrophic for the quality of education, not just the quantity," said Koen Van Kerkhoven, head of the ACV-COC union. "Missing two days of lessons due to a strike pales in comparison to the impact on the quality of education that we are facing," he said.

^{Teachers protesting against planned cuts by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation government in Brussels on 10 November © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}

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