Belgian rail unions call week-long strike over staff reforms and funding cuts

Belgian rail unions have announced plans for a week-long strike from Monday, 26 to Friday, 30 January, escalating opposition to government-backed reforms affecting the national rail operator SNCB/NMBS and infrastructure manager Infrabel.

A formal strike notice is expected to be filed during the week of 5 January, with the industrial action timed to coincide with parliamentary votes on the contested measures. According to Pierre Lejeune of ACOD Spoor, the central issue is the planned abolition of permanent civil-servant status for new rail employees from June 2026, a move unions say would significantly weaken job security and worker protections.

Unions are also strongly critical of proposed changes to social dialogue rules. Under the reform, HR Rail would be able to take decisions if a two-thirds majority cannot be reached in the joint committee, a mechanism unions argue would effectively marginalise organised labour.

Further grievances include a planned €675 million reduction in railway funding during the current legislative period and pension reforms that could raise the retirement age to 67 from 2027 while altering pension calculation methods. Lejeune said prospects for avoiding the strike are low following two unsuccessful rounds of talks with the responsible minister.

SNCB/NMBS has confirmed that a minimum service will be operated during the strike period, with details to be communicated closer to the start of the action. The planned walkout is expected to cause significant disruption to rail travel across Belgium at the end of January.