Maritime pilots associated with the socialist trade union ACOD began industrial action on Friday in response to federal pension reforms. By Friday afternoon, 25 ships were already waiting at the ports of Antwerp, Ghent, and Zeebrugge, as well as in the North Sea. In contrast, production at Volvo Car Ghent is set to resume on Friday evening after a strike at supplier Plasman concluded.
The Maritime Services and Coast Agency announced that ACOD pilots would be taking industrial action starting June 5, along with the maximum rest period. The Port of Antwerp issued a disruption warning due to a significant shortage of Belgian maritime pilots throughout the day, with the strike expected to last until at least 8 a.m. on Saturday. This follows previous strikes by the pilots, who have long been negotiating their professional status, leading to ongoing tensions.
Last year’s strikes had a notable impact, with the Port of Antwerp reporting significant delays, sometimes with over a hundred ships waiting. Meanwhile, production at Volvo Car Ghent had been halted since Tuesday due to a lack of bumpers from Plasman, affecting around 4,000 workers who faced temporary unemployment.
The strike at Plasman ended on Friday after workers voted on a social agreement, which was adopted despite only 44 percent voting in favor, as insufficient participation prevented a continuation of the strike.
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