Above photo: Scenes from pickets on March 31, 2025. General Labour Federation of Belgium/Facebook.
Belgium’s two largest trade union confederations have launched a general strike.
In protest against the Arizona government’s austerity agenda.
“In short: they lied,” declared the General Labour Federation of Belgium (FGTB-ABVV) in an announcement of the general strike launched on March 31, in coordination with the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV-CSC). The statement refers to the recently inaugurated Arizona coalition government, which, despite campaign promises to improve living standards, is pursuing over €1 billion in cuts to social services at the national level – while simultaneously boosting spending on militarization and so-called defense.
From the early hours of Monday, hundreds of picket lines formed across the country. The strike resonated across sectors, with some of the most notable results found in transport and logistics: both of Brussels’ main airports were forced to cancel departures as a result of the actions, while disruptions delayed the processing of dozens of ships in Antwerp’s port. Workers in culture, retail, industry, education, and healthcare also joined the mobilization in large numbers.
Workers, Women, And Pensioners To Pay The Price Of Austerity – Again
The trade unions’ list of concerns is extensive, as wages, pensions, and working hours could all be eroded under the government’s proposed reforms. In other words, as ACV-CSC put it, the Arizona coalition intends to make “ordinary workers and the most vulnerable groups foot the bill,” with disproportionate impacts on youth, pensioners, and women.
At the top of this list are the gendered effects of Arizona’s policies. According to analyses by the unions and the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA), women are likely to bear the brunt of both social service cuts and changes to working conditions. Already over-represented in part-time and precarious work due to unpaid care responsibilities, women are likely to find it harder to meet the requirements for full pension under the proposed changes. Additionally, the liberalization of night shifts and expansion of working hours could easily increase stress levels and harm women’s health.
As a result of these concerns, feminist organizations joined the general strike. Activists from Collecti.e.f 8 maars in Ghent issued a resounding “STOP” to the Arizona government, warning that its plans would embed existing inequalities – like the gender pay gap – and make it nearly impossible for women to achieve even a semblance of balance of paid work, care tasks, and free time. Additionally, other organizations warned of the government’s failure to protect reproductive rights, particularly access to abortion, as yet another problem that will harm women workers.
Demands To Shift Burden On Ultra-Rich
The attack on workers doesn’t stop at gender equality in the workplace. Changes to overtime regulations will be devastating for all workers, the unions warned in the lead-up to the strike. “In practice, it will be difficult for many workers to refuse overtime, increasing the average workweek to 49 or even 52 hours,” said ACV-CSC. “This pace would increase the risk of workplace stress-related illness and further weaken our social safety net.”
In contrast, the ultra-rich will come out of the process unscathed. This unequal distribution of the burden of austerity was a recurring theme at the picket lines. PTB-PVDA president Raoul Hedebouw shared workers’ testimonies from Leuven, where picketers described growing workloads and deteriorating conditions, while company profits continue to rise. “Why are these politicians blocking our wages when profits are thriving?” they asked.
The unions and PTB-PVDA have vowed to keep resisting the Arizona coalition’s plans. They point to early results of the opposition mounted so far: public pressure has already forced the government to backtrack on some proposals. “We sense they’re divided and hesitant,” the party said. “The more we support the strike, the better our chances of blocking their plans for social destruction.”
