Belgium Grinds to Halt as Thousands Strike

[struggle4progress]

By CONSTANT BRAND

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Construction sites, car plants, public transportation and the port of Antwerp lay still Friday as workers took part in a one-day national strike to protest government plans to push back the retirement age.

Trains rumbled to a halt late Thursday ahead of the action called by Belgium's largest Socialist union, ABVV-FGTB, in the first general strike since 1993.

The high-speed Eurostar train suspended its services to Brussels, stranding some travelers. The city's central station was boarded up, and the high-speed Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam, which stops in Brussels, was also canceled.

Protesters picketed outside several workplaces including a major postal sorting station in Berchem, a suburb of Antwerp, and European Union headquarters in Brussels. <snip>

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2005/10/07/ap/business/d8d34j787.txt

[xchrom]

1. wooo--hooo!

that's how you do it!

damn -- the workers DO have power when they decide act.

oooh -- this makes me all tingly in the cockles of my something or other.

[Zynx]

2. When unions did that here, we got Taft-Hartley.

[kalibex]

3. I find myself wondering...

...why Europe historically is where general strikes happen and are a valid political tool....but not here.

(well, the air traffic controllers' firing aside............) :shrug:

[Divernan]

4. Link doesn't work. What are current & proposed retirement ages?

I can't get into the entire article, and assume you can. So how many years does the govt. propose to increase the working lives?

[struggle4progress]

6. Belgium paralyzed by workers’ strike

BRUSSELS, Oct 7: Belgian workers began their first general strike in more than a decade on Friday, disrupting schools, transport, government services and shops to protest against government plans to increase the retirement age.

The 24-hour strike halted the high-speed Eurostar service from London and the Thalys connection from Paris to Brussels, home to the European Commission headquarters and EU agencies.

The government wants to raise the retirement age to 60 years from 58 years, saying the country has to pay for its increasing and aging population and has support from its liberal socialist coalition partners for the proposal.

Strikers also picketed entrances to factories and offices. <snip>

http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/08/top17.htm


Original link seems to have been pulled ...

[CountAllVotes]

5. Go Belgium!

Don't let them grab up and take you benefits!

:kick:

[progressivebydesign]

7. Have to email my Belgian pal tonight and see what's up!

She works for the govt health insurance department. Before, she worked for the township child care center. Other countries actually care for their people, though their taxes are a wee bit high. Guess if we figured in what we spend on health insurance and care, and child care, it'd all work out.