The strike at transport company De Lijn is expanding further.
After the Flemish periphery, bus drivers in the Kempen and Heist-op-den-Berg are now also joining the actions, which are seriously disrupting public transport in several regions for the second day in a row. Discontent among drivers continues, mainly because of the new work schedules that will come into effect from January. The measure, which is part of a broader restructuring within De Lijn, remains the center of controversy between unions and the management of the transport company.
The strike started yesterday as a spontaneous action in the Flemish periphery, with drivers in Brussels, Halle, Ninove, Asse, Dendermonde, Vilvoorde and Grimbergen going on strike. The new timetable, which according to De Lijn is necessary to guarantee basic accessibility, is meeting with fierce resistance from the staff. The unions point out that De Lijn's plans will not only lead to the cancellation of journeys, but also to a deterioration of the working conditions for the drivers. According to the unions, the planned changes to the weekend services and the cancellation of specific journeys in particular would cause dissatisfaction.
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In addition to the increasing workload, other problems are also playing a role in some regions, such as a shortage of drivers and buses. This means that certain routes can no longer be guaranteed, which only increases the workload for the current drivers. Union representatives emphasize that this situation is unsustainable and demand that management come up with better solutions.
Yesterday, the unions and the management of De Lijn sat at the negotiating table several times, but these discussions did not produce a breakthrough. The discussions are difficult, and the positions of both parties are far apart. While De Lijn is pushing for more efficient work schedules to save costs and bring the network more in line with the needs of passengers, the unions fear that these savings will be at the expense of the service and the working conditions.
"The new work schedules do not take into account the reality of drivers," a union spokesman said. "Cutting off trips, especially on weekends, means drivers will have to be even more flexible. We are not asking for special favors, but for work schedules that are feasible and take into account work-life balance."
In the Kempen and Heist-op-den-Berg, bus drivers have also stopped working, which means the strike is spreading to other parts of Flanders. For travellers in these regions, this means that serious disruptions must also be expected today. De Lijn calls on travellers to use the route planner on their website or via the app to check which journeys are still running. Any disruptions are clearly indicated so that travellers do not have to wait unnecessarily long at stops.
Meanwhile, frustration is growing among travelers, especially those who rely on public transportation to get to work or school. “It’s hard enough to get to work on time, and now we have to figure out if our bus is even running,” complained an angry commuter in Vilvoorde to the news service VRT NWS. The strike has also led to increasing pressure on alternative means of transportation, such as the train or the bicycle, although these are not always a good option for everyone. solution offer.
De Lijn insists that the reforms are necessary to guarantee the long-term sustainability of its services. “It is unfortunate that there is inconvenience for passengers, but we must work on a more efficient network that better meets the needs of today and tomorrow,” said a spokesperson for De Lijn. However, it remains to be seen whether the management will quickly succeed in reaching an agreement with the unions. As long as there is no solution in sight, there seems to be a good chance that the strike will spread further.
With the strike now going on for two days and showing no signs of ending any time soon, the impact on public transport remains significant. It remains to be seen whether the talks between management and unions today will lead to a breakthrough, or whether more regions will be involved in the strike.
