Unions threaten revoltover social reforms

27 September 2005

BRUSSELS – Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt faces testing times on Tuesday as he tries to avoid a stand-off with trade union bosses over pensions and social security reform.

Union leaders are set to tell Verhofstadt at an afternoon meeting that his proposed reform package, which also includes measures for workers entering the end of their careers, is imprecise and incomplete.

The country’s three largest unions have threatened strike action and say they can call workers to the pickets within just 24 hours.

Friday 7 October has already been mooted as a possible strike day, although union leaders say it could take place any time between 28 September and 11 October.

The last time strike action loomed on such a massive scale was in 1993 when workers revolted against the global reforms proposed by the Dehaene administration.

Subject: Belgian news