Court of appeal decision threatens right to strike in Belgium

An appeals court in Belgium has upheld the conviction of trade unionist Bruno Verlaeckt for his role in a demonstration in Antwerp three years ago. The ruling on 26 June 2019 effectively criminalizes the right to strike in contradiction with European and international labour law. Bruno Verlaeckt, president of the Antwerp branch of IndustriALL Global Union’s Belgian affiliate, La Centrale Générale – ABVV-FGTB, was found guilty of “malicious obstruction of traffic” after his union blocked roads to the port of Antwerp in a protest in 2016. The strikers were confronted by police who broke up the demonstration and arrested union leaders.

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