On Friday night at 3 a.m., the train conductors affiliated with the independent railway association OVS left the work until Sunday morning at 3 a.m. NMBS says that about 60 percent of the trains will run on Saturday.

The reason for the strike is a conflict about taking vacation days. According to the independent railway union OVS, the conductors can hardly take a holiday because there are simply too few train escorts. According to them, many have to work six days or seven days apart before they can recover for one day.

The union demands the guarantee to grant leave to at least 15 percent of the planned framework simultaneously.

"Our engagements must be granted and guaranteed. Now they are too often refused or canceled at the last minute, "said spokesperson Pascal Dumont.

Consultations about this were interrupted earlier this week by the OVS.

The socialist and christian union did not join. ACOD points out that the management promised earlier this month to come up with a solution and that the procedures are ongoing. Moreover, ACOD regrets that OVS works on its own. "If they want to reach the 15 percent granted leave earlier, they just have to work with us to find solutions," said national secretary Gunther Blauwens.

ACV-Transcom also shares this view. Luc Piens, general sector manager for railways at the union: 'SNCB agrees to guarantee the granting of 15 percent leave in locations where this is not currently the case. The necessary recruitments are indispensable for this. We are continuing to negotiate with SNCB to improve recruitment procedures in order to increase the influx. ”

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SNCB acknowledged the problem earlier this week. "It is indeed not always easy for our train conductors to take leave during the summer holidays." The railways are doing a lot of recruiting, but that takes time, according to reports in the Standard.

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