Belgocontrol ATC strikes 2016

[convair]

When you see the damage a handful of people without an ounce of decency can inflict to the people who have recently suffered in their body and in their souls and to whom they are supposed to be supportive (I mean BRU and airlines people and their families), you can't help but be completely disgusted by their coward and selfish behaviour!

I suggest all BRU and airlines employees send them a card with the words "Thank you for your support" and "Get well soon".

[Conti764]

If something looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Are we all mislead here? Are we all wrong that it is a strike? No, let us remain serious please: this is a strike. Reason, as explained by a delegate of one of the two unions on VRT (19h00 news): we want additional compensation in exchange for the pension age. We were negociating additional days off and other compensation, but negociations failed...

Of course I know it's a strike in disguise... But you people seem to think that anything can be done at anytime to do something against this sort of actions. They can't... This is not an official strike, period. So nothing can actually be done.

Sure the government could have condemned the actions, but what would it change in the short term? BRU would still remain closed. That there ought to be some action on the mid and long term, I fully agree.

[sn26567]

right now some people should be in a room negotiating throughout the night. Anything less is not acceptable.

They are actually in a room, not to negotiate, but to decide which action they will do tomorrow....

[Passenger]

A wildcat strike is illegal. This gives ample ammunition for a serious government to act. Like Ronald Reagan did in the U.S.!

Agree, but unfortunately this is Belgium, a failed state. When the employer would dismiss an employee for going on a wildcat strike, the unions come to rescue within a few minutes and they will recognize the strike. Labour courts will then refuse the dismissal, even when it was illegal before the unions recognized the strike.

The name "guild" brings us back to the middle-ages!

Agree again. But contrary to what a lonesome defender of the strike here suggested, it was not a strike from just that one "guild". The christian (what's in a name) union also supports the strike. Flemish state tv invited the christian gang chief live during their 19h tv news.

Flemish tv also called them "a guild, which is a professional organization and not a trade union". That's not true. Civil servants, working under a labour contract with a fixed roster, are employees. Their organization therefore is not a "guild", but a "trade union". It's not because they earn more then most employers, that they become employers, entrepreneurs or craftsmen.

[astike]

I just send a mail to belgocontrol to expres my suprise and unbelieve about these actions.
I asked them to send my mail to the "Gilde van luchtverkeersleiders.
Maybe more people should do this

[b-west]

Strangely, the president of the guild stated earlier today on Radio 1 that they did not call for this action. Btw, stop calling Belgium a failed state. Somalia is a failed state. Belgium, despite having a lot of room for improvement, is anything but a failed state.

[Passenger]

Strangely, the president of the guild stated earlier today on Radio 1 that they did not call for this action.

Of course they don't call it "a strike". If so, those going on strike would earn only the union's compensation (think it's 30 or 32 € per day). By calling themselves sick, those going on strike enjoy their full salary of several thousand Euro's per month.

Btw, stop calling Belgium a failed state. Somalia is a failed state. Belgium, despite having a lot of room for improvement, is anything but a failed state.

When several civil servants go on a wildcat strike exactly three weeks after their working place has been hit like it hasn't been hit during the last 70 years, and when there is no legal possibility to counter this egoism, those civil servants make their country a failed state.

[Charlie Roy]

What do you want them to do? Calling in sick is not exactly illegal... You would fire them for it? Good luck with the law suits coming up...

Of course I know it's a strike in disguise... But you people seem to think that anything can be done at anytime to do something against this sort of actions. They can't... This is not an official strike, period. So nothing can actually be done.

They could make it company policy that absenteeism due to illness needs to be supported by a doctor's note, even for 1 day (as was the case in the previous Belgian company I worked for).
No note = formal warning.
Multiple warnings = dismissal.

[sn26567]

As I was ready to leave to the airport, I got an SMS from SN to notify me that my flight was cancelled.

Thank you again BGATC. You are driving this country and in particular its flagship airline to bankruptcy and soon all of you will lose their jobs because there will no longer be air traffic in Belgian airports.

[Conti764]

Agree again. But contrary to what a lonesome defender of the strike here suggested, it was not a strike from just that one "guild".

Just out of curiosity, who might that be?

[Poiu]

As I was ready to leave to the airport, I got an SMS from SN to notify me that my flight was cancelled.

Thank you again BGATC. You are driving this country and in particular its flagship airline to bankruptcy and soon all of you will lose their jobs because there will no longer be air traffic in Belgian airports.

Not all definding the "strike" at all, but why do you think your flight is cancelled due to the strike?
It looks like flights are departing more or less on time this morning.

[sn26567]

It looks like flights are departing more or less on time this morning.

Additional SN flights cancelled on 13 April

Cancelled flights to Brussels:

SN3604 Marseille - Brussels
SN3676 Toulouse - Brussels
SN2066 Edinburgh - Brussels
SN2050 Birmingham - Brussels
SN2560 Warsaw - Brussels
SN2310 Stockholm - Brussels
SN2288 Oslo - Brussels
SN3152 Milan Linate - Brussels
SN2830 Budapest - Brussels
SN2184 Manchester - Brussels
SN3188 Rome - Brussels
SN2592 Berlin - Brussels
SN3732 Madrid - Brussels
SN2726 Geneva - Brussels
SN2268 Copenhagen - Brussels
SN2816 Prague - Brussels
SN3716 Bilbao - Brussels
SN2630 Hamburg - Brussels
SN3208 Venice - Brussels
SN2624 Hamburg - Brussels
SN3140 Florence - Brussels
SN3654 Strasburg - Brussels
SN2314 Goteborg - Brussels
SN2548 Krakow - Brussels
SN2714 Geneva - Brussels
SN3588 Lyon - Brussels
SN2838 St. Petersburg - Brussels
SN2836 Moscow - Brussels
SN2254 Billund - Brussels
SN2640 Hannover - Brussels
SN2060 Bristol - Brussels

Cancelled flights from Brussels:

SN2809 Brussels - Prague
SN3667 Brussels - Toulouse
SN2063 Brussels - Edinburgh
SN2555 Brussels - Warsaw
SN2303 Brussels - Stockholm
SN3147 Brussels - Milan Linate
SN2283 Brussels - Oslo
SN3181 Brussels - Rome
SN2581 Brussels - Berlin
SN3721 Brussels - Madrid (my flight )
SN2623 Brussels - Hamburg
SN3139 Brussels - Florence
SN3653 Brussels - Strasburg
SN2313 Brussels - Goteborg
SN2547 Brussels - Krakow
SN2713 Brussels - Geneva
SN3587 Brussels - Lyon
SN2837 Brussels - St. Petersburg
SN2835 Brussels - Moscow
SN2249 Brussels - Billund
SN2633 Brussels - Hannover
SN2055 Brussels - Bristol

[sean1982]

Strangely, the president of the guild stated earlier today on Radio 1 that they did not call for this action. Btw, stop calling Belgium a failed state. Somalia is a failed state. Belgium, despite having a lot of room for improvement, is anything but a failed state.

I suggest you come from underneath your kerktoren and look at Belgium like foreigners do. A small miserable country that cannot get their act together. Bickering over everything and anything. Its shamefull.

[Hue]

Working conditions for atco's got changed tremendously in an agreement with a union that only represents a few atco's. Atco's were not consulted and do not support the agreement that was made. When air traffic control learned about the details, several colleagues decleared themselves unfit to continue their responsible function in a safe way. This is a legal obligation related to the medical licence of every atco. An ATC operations room or tower needs to be a serene and quiet place where people can focus to do their job. It's not a good idea to continue controlling air traffic when you're thinking about or debating your future working conditions.
This was no call for action from a union or guild. This was an act by individuals to protect air traffic, which is their primary obligation. People have concerns regarding safety. The agreement is not only about end of career, but also about reduced ATC staffing, single person operations, etc. In an environment where ATC equipment is not 100% reliable. A 'clear the sky' procedure was performed after the power failure last year and again needed weeks AFTER the 22/03 events. Atco's are aware of the need to stay operational after the terror attacks at Brussels Airport and the impact on aviation. They have been demonstrating great flexibility over several months to deliver the service that is expected from them. Fatigue and burn-out are real concerns in the current situation were people come to work on their days off to replace a colleague. Not for extra money but to support the aviation community and maintain full capacity. Staff shortage is a reality, which is why the 'social agreement' also included hiring some 30 new recruits.
Atco's are responsable people who do care about the destiny of Brussels Airlines and the situation at Brussels Airport. Lots of discussions are going on and we acknowledge the pressure of the public to continue working. Everything was done to prevent an impact on airlines and travellers. Lots of atco's are disappointed the situation has come to this. They are eager to support Belgian aviation as soon as possible. They care about your safety, want to respect your travel plans. Apologies for the service that is not being delivered.

[sean1982]

Newsflash: burn outs and stress are a risk in EVERY job. Shall I tell you how many off days i've worked the last 2 months? How many times I had to replace someone? Lots of ATCO's are dissappointed it has come to this? Hahaha, I actually laughed when I read that ... Maybe you should come out of your ivory towers (nice analogy) and walk amongst the normal employees at BRU and SN (you know ... The people that earn 3 times less then you) and see what REAL disappointment is.

I agree, you all need medical leave, to get your heads checked if you even have the guts to defend this!

[Inquirer]

I agree with Sean on this one.
Are we now going go see widespread economic disruptions for several days, only because yet another small group of public servants thinks their time has come to oppose the inevitable, i.e. to work longer?
And who's next then after the police and the air traffic controllers, if I may?
Fire services? Tax officers? Anybody else who works at the airport and thinks he has to make a point?
I think a whole lot of people are completely unaware that they are well underway cutting off the tree from which fruits we're all living, including them. Let it be clearly understood that PRIVATELY owned companies have a focus on PROFIT and are getting fed up with these Greek style public services of Belgium.
While Belgian airlines have no other option but to accept all of this, I can very well imagine a whole lot of foreign airlines will seriously reconsider any of their plans with BRU, CRL and Belgium as a whole: one has to be almost insane to be considering this country as a location, if you are used to dealing with other Northern or Eastern European countries: we're definitely in the league of Italy, Greece, France etc.

[Passenger]

I'm angry on the strikers, but I'm also disappointed in Belgocontrol's management and in Galant's passivity. She regards this strike as just another social action.

Belgocontrol should put those strikers on medical leave immediately, with further psychological tests needed to dismiss them permanently because their strike proves they cannot handle stress. If one is already "severely shocked" because of the announcement of a new pension plan, one is unable to handle an emergency situation in the air. People with such trauma cannot return to work tomorrow. Specially not because of the risks of the jobs (hence we pay them extremely good).

Even IATA's CEO demands action from the government(s):
http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/ ... 12-01.aspx

[b-west]

I suggest you come from underneath your kerktoren and look at Belgium like foreigners do. A small miserable country that cannot get their act together. Bickering over everything and anything. Its shamefull.

I haven't seen my church tower in 15 years. I've seen a lot of other church towers, minarets and stupa all over the world though. Which makes me realise this country may be a mess at times, but it's a lot better than some "toogpraat" that gets spread about it. Mostly by people who indeed are very much in the shadow of their church tower...

But anyway, back to the topic on hand...

[Thomaaas]

Honestly very ashamed to be Belgian right now. How dare they do this right now, after all the employees of SN, BRU, FR and all other airlines have been working non-stop to get the airport up and running again. They should all be fired tbh...

And what are they even complaining about? Too mouch stress and risk on burnouts? Newsflash: every job comes with that. They have to work till they are 58 instead of 55? Bigger newsflash: almost ALL other jobs include working until atleast 60-65. Bunch of cry babies. No compassion at all for them right now, they should all be fired...

[Ozzie1969]

Let these ATC's drive a bus for a week, and they'll know what stress is (at one third of what they're currently earning).