© MARC HERREMANS – MEDIAHUIS
This week there will also be a strike in Belgian prisons, but now per province. On Monday it is the turn of Leuven Central and the Brussels prisons, Tuesday of Ghent, Wednesday of Hasselt and Friday of Mechelen. There are no coordinated actions in Wallonia, but the strike notice continues there too. The unions reported this on Monday.
Since 10 p.m. last Monday, an indefinite strike has been going on in Belgian prisons, in protest against overcrowding and staff shortages. The fact that staff was requisitioned last week for the first time since the introduction of the law on penitentiary status in 2019 is also a major concern for the unions.
To limit the financial impact on prison staff, there will be picket lines in a different province every day this week, with Leuven Central and the Brussels prisons of Sint-Gillis, Haren, Vorst and Berkendael, Ghent, Hasselt and Mechelen. Only on Thursday – with West Flanders originally planned – there will be no coordinated action due to internal consultation at the socialist trade union ACOD.
Throughout the country, the indefinite strike notice continues and prison staff can strike.