Posted on 12/14/2014 12:37:04 PM PST by tcrlaf
Belgium risks coming to a virtual standstill Monday as the biggest national strike for years grounds all flights, halts public transport and severs international train links in protest at the new government's austerity policies.
The strike, which is the climax of a union movement that began last month with a huge march and violent protests in Brussels, will also likely close schools, businesses, factories and government offices.
Unions say there is "no choice" but to go ahead with the strike after the right-of-centre government of Prime Minister Charles Michel pushed ahead with plans to save 11 billion euros ($13.7 billion) over five years.
SNIP----
But Belgian unions oppose a decision by Michel's coalition government to scrap plans for a usually automatic cost-of-living raise next year. They also reject public sector cutbacks and plans to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 from 2030.
(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...
Europe's economy is in free-fall, but the Zombies still want their "Free Sch*t!!!"
Even the Airlines will be grounded, as controllers have joined in the strike.
Belgium’s new federal government, which took office on Saturday, said it would raise the state pension age to 67 from 65, scrap a planned inflation-linked wage rise due next year and find savings in the public sector, including the health and social security budget.
“The government is deaf to the workers and recipients of social benefits but generous to the employers and the rich,” a common statement by the country’s three largest unions said.
The unions plan regional strikes every Monday starting November 24, culminating in a national strike on December 15.
The government said the austerity measures are needed to balance Belgium’s budget by 2018 and tackle the country’s national debt of about 100 percent of economic output, one of the highest in the euro zone. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; Editing by Dominic Evans)
https://tendancecoatesy.wordpress.com/2014/12/14/general-strike-in-belgium-on-monday/
“Even the Airlines will be grounded, as controllers have joined in the strike.”
Time for Reagan to step in!
With a social market economy, this is inevitable. As much as the free stuff addicts want their fix, the elite politicians want their tax increases.
A large percentage of Americans are the same.
We’re watching the entire world (except China ironically) run out of other people’s money to spend.
This can't end well.
That’s one less day for Ebola to fly across the Atlantic.
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