Chronology of Belgian Strikes ment is forced to call the trade-union lead- of railway station occupations develops
By Francois Vercammen
December 14, 1981. The government declares its intention to carry out a drastic austerity program. This includes reducing the total wage bill by 3%, dismantling the system of automatic cost-of-living increases, ers in to get their "advice" on changing the cost-of-living index. At the same time, he dangles the possibility of "a jobs plan" in front of them. The FTB first, and firmly, and the CSC later and in a more concilia-
I throughout the country, continuing through-
Joint action throughout the country by the FTB and the CSC.
March 9. The whole province of Liege is paralyzed by one of the 24-hour revolva "tightening up" of unemployment insurance, and a major cut in plant production costs. To accomplish this, the government February 15. Agitation starts in the Wal- the head of the Walloon CSC and the leadsays, it is going to ask parliament for
Beginning of January 1982. The FGTB (the Social Democrat-led union confederation) declares its opposition to special powers and to the austerity measures, whose precise provisions have not been made public. The CSC (the Catholic union confederation) announces that it is prepared to accept austerity, but it is against any tampering with cost-of-living increases. At the same time, it does nothing to prepare
The FGTB announces that it will hold a special congress to prepare for action. Several regions and districts pass motions calling for a 24-hour general strike.
January 14. The FGTB holds its national congress, which declares its opposition to the austerity measures and the special powers. But it does not decide on any immediate action in order to leave time for trying to get unity in action with the CSC.
January 20. The FGTB organizes a national meeting in Heysel in Brussels. Instead of the 5,000 shop stewards expected, there are 10,000. As Debunne, the general secretary of the confederation speaks, the crowd shouts "general strike'"
January 26. The General Council of the CSC agrees to talks with the FTB on com-
January 27. The talks between the FGTB and the CSC break down. On the following day, the Walloon CSC releases its regional organizations to join in common action with
February 8. Twenty-four-hour national general strike by the FGTB. It is total in the Walloon country, as a result of the formation of the Trade-Union Common Front. In Brussels and Flanders, the effect of the strike varies according to industry and from plant to plant. There are no demonstrations in the Walloon country, only flying pickets. But there are militant demonstrations elsetory tone, reaffirm their previous positions. Their answer is "no. " loon steel centers.
February 20. The government announces its intention to devalue the Belgian franc. Immediately afterward, the EEC agrees. climate of "national unity" (the fatherland in danger) is whipped up. The government decides to depart drastically from the cost-of-living increase system for the rest of
February 22. The CSC, openly, and the FGTB, diffidently, revise their positions on the cost-of-living index. "The devaluation has to be done right! " The slogan now becomes one for a strict and prolonged price freeze (which the government anyway re-
February 22-26. At the moment when the FGTB national apparatus wants to make a retreat, a social explosion takes place in Liege and threatens in Charleroi. For two, three, and sometimes five days, nearly 100, 000 Walloon workers strike. There are spontaneous demonstrations in the cities, massive flying pickets, attacks on banks, burning of headquarters of the ruling Liberal party, occupations of railroad stations, bridges, highways, and so forth. The trade-union bureaucracy blocks a general strike. It backs an all-out strike by the steelworkers of the Cockerill-Sambre complex in Liege and Charleroi but opposes the extension of the strike to the whole of the
The Cockerill-Sambre strike will last through March. The national FGTB tries once again to engage in discussions for unity in action with the CSC. The Walloon FGTB is forced by the power of the social explosion to immediately announce a week of action in the Walloon country.
March I-5. Revolving 24-hour strikes successively paralyze all the provinces of the Walloon country. In general, the CSC participates in them. Very militant mass demonstrations. Often the workers overshoot the "program. " The national FGTB in turn is forced to announce "a national ac-
March 9. The movement has gone over ership is beginning to lose its balance. As an alternative to "ineffective" strikes, it proposes a march on Brussels.
March II. The Bureau of the Walloon section of the FTB responds positively to the proposal of the Walloon CSC, but continues the 24-hour revolving strikes.
March Il. Five thousand Sabena workers, who are facing an enormous cut in their real wages (from 15% to 30%) come into the Brussels streets, and also clash with the police on the Rue de la Loi.
March 12. The National Bureau of the FGTB says "yes" to the proposal of the Walloon CSC to organize a big national union demonstration in Brussels.
March 12. In response to the rationalization plan in education, the National Committee of the CGSP (the public sector workers union) announces an unlimited strike to begin on March 29 (the date will later be changed to March 3l) and demands that the FGTB proclaim an unlimited general strike.
March 15. The national CSC tips over into opposition to the government. It declares its rejection of "certain measures affecting unemployment insurance" and proposes a national demonstration in Brussels on March 27 "with the FGTB, if possible."
March 16. Twenty-four-hour general strike affecting the provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, and the Flemish Brabant, plus the Charleroi region. In Flanders, the CSC is beginning to participate in the actions despite the opposition of the national lead-
The second big demonstration of Walloon steelworkers, backed by a common front of the FGTB and the CSC. Violent confrontations lasting several hours. groups leave in cars to join the mass demonstration in Antwerp.
March 16. Under the impact of the steelworkers demonstration, a militant mood grips the Mons-Borinage region, the Jemappes rolling mills to on strike, drawing behind them progressively the entire region. A strong all-union general assembly of the
February 11. The first "March on Brussels" tion plan, " in which for the rest of March by Walloon steelworkers belonging to both the FGTB and the CSC. They are worried about the rationalization plans of the EEC and the Belgium government. A violent confrontation takes place in Rue de la Loi, the street on which the government offices and the parliament are located.
Mid-February. Confronted with this working-class upsurge, the Martens governevery 24-hour general strike in a Walloon province is coupled with one in Flanders.
March 6. National "Women Against the Economic Crisis" demonstration supported by both the FGTB and the CSC (15, 000 participants) in Brussels. The action develops a strong antigovernment thrust.
March 8. In response to a drastic plan for tightening up on the railroads, a wave
FGTB goes over the heads of the bureaucracy and proposes an unlimited general strike beginning March 23 (which was designated as a day of action in the FTB's national plan). The bureaucracy agrees to call an emergency congress for the end of
March 18. Strike in the provinces of [Namur, Luxembourg, and Eastern Flanders
sands of vanguard workers, growing opposi- for solving it was achieving unity in action
March 19. It becomes known that the negotiations between the national bureaus of the FGTB and the CSC for a common national demonstration on March 25 have failed. The FTB decides to call off the last two 24-hour revolving strikes Western Flanders, Mons-Borinage, Mouscron, Brussels, and Walloon Brabant.) Instead, it decides to organize a national general strike for March 26 without the CSC.
March 19. Special congress of the MonsBorinage FGTB. At the gathering, the delegates learn about the calling off of the 24-hour revolving strike planned for March 23. The hall explodes. The bureaucracy is forced to issue a call for a general strike and to demand that the Walloon FGTB join it, and to propose a discussion in the National Bureau of the FGTB.
March 20. The Walloon CSC (with "its" national demo in its pocket) organizes a general assembly of its 850 shop stewards. Its program is against the government's measures and against the FTB's strikes, and for "new forms of struggle as consumers and savers"!
March 22. The general strike in the Mons-Borinage area begins. Blockades on all the roads, occupation of the train stations, workers control over postal-check payments exercised by the postal and bank workers. Formation of a central strike committee with the union executive committee as its core. Massive flying pickets. Dispatching of a delegation to visit the other Walloon regions.
March 23. All-trades general assembly of the FGTB in Charleroi. After the report of the delegation from the Borinage, all but seven of the 1,100 delegates vote for a general strike beginning March 26.
March 23. Enlarged Executive Committee meeting of the Mouscron FGTB. After the report of the delegation from MonsBorinage, the tide turns toward calling a general strike. But the bureaucracy managed to prevent a vote on the question.
March 24. The first major setback. The steel union bureaucrats form a common front--to force the Charleroi steelworkers back to work. In Liege, the strike con-
March 24. The government reverses the firings of 500 railroad workers while maintaining its rationalization plan.
Second major setback. The union bureaucracy decides to reject 24-hour national general strike, which would have paralyzed the entire country.
March 24. A historically unprecedented mass march of 15,000 workers in the Borinage. The entire region is paralyzed.
The mobilization spills over into the neighboring region, the Center.
March 26. Twenty-four-hour national strike of the FTB alone. Success in the Walloon country. Progress in Flanders and the industrial suburbs of Brussels. Failure in several Flemish provinces and in downtown Brussels.
In the evening, the union bureaucracy manages to overturn the votes in favor of a general strike in Charleroi and in MonsBorinage after unbelievable manipulations (fights in the hall, workers storm the platform, the bureaucrats slip out the backdoor, etc.). It is clear that the momentum toward a general strike in the Walloon coun try has been stopped.
March 27. National demonstration by CSC alone. Forty thousand march. FGTB plant delegations participate to show their desire for unity. It is an ambiguous demonstration, because it is in opposition to the government but also to the FTB strikes
March 29. A general ebb sets in, except among the teachers, who start a determined action, and in the steel industry in Liege.
March 31. Massive demonstration of 30,000 teachers in the streets of Brussels. The national strike call is largely followed. I In many places, the CSC participates.