Belgium: Facing a 72-Hour Strike! Logistics Costs to Rise by 30%!

Recently, Belgian trade unions have announced a new strike notice, with a three-day strike scheduled for November 24, 25, and 26.

On October 28, after the Syndicat des Conducteurs de Trains Autonomes (SACT) confirmed its participation in the 72-hour strike alongside three major railway unions (ACOD-CGSP, ACV-CSC Transcom, and VSOA-SLFP), Belgium’s railway sector is bracing for its most disruptive shutdown since 2022.

It is reported that Belgium’s railway network will be closed for three days from 10 PM on November 23 to 10 PM on November 26, as several railway unions unite to protest the Belgian government’s economic policies.

Belgian railway companies handle approximately 800,000 passenger trips and 180 freight trains every working day; many commuters traveling to Brussels’ business districts have few alternatives.

Logistics operators have warned that time-sensitive goods such as pharmaceuticals and perishables may have to be rerouted by road from the Netherlands or Germany, increasing costs by up to 30%.

Previously, as early as October 14, Belgium had just experienced a large-scale national strike affecting aviation, ports, and public transportation systems. At that time, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges suffered severe congestion due to pilots continuing "slowdown" operations.