Belgian unions launch month of strikes

Strikes in Belgium severely affected travel within the country on Monday as trade unions embarked on a planned month of rotating local actions in protest at government measures to cut income, push back the retirement age and trim social services.

On the first of three Mondays set aside for the regional strikes, workers walked off the job in various sectors, notably at Europe's third busiest shipping port in Antwerp, where ships were prevented from entering or leaving.

The industrial action, which took place in four of Belgium's 10 provinces, also disrupted the fast-train link between Paris and Brussels, while onward travel to the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, was cancelled completely.

Striking workers also picketed some factories, including a Ford plant in Flanders.

Widespread anger

The protest action was called by unions in response to the raft of austerity measures planned by Belgium's new ruling coalition, which include scrapping plans for a usually annual automatic wage hike adjusted to the rising cost of living.

Unions are also dismayed at projected cutbacks to the public sector, as well as an envisaged raise in retirement age from 65 to 66 from 2025 and to 67 in 2030.

The three Mondays of localized strikes are to be followed on December 15 by a general nationwide stoppage.

Earlier this month, an anti-austerity march in Brussels attracted some 100,000 people and ended in some clashes between participants and police.

tj/nm (AP, AFP)