Belgian railway staff faced over 2000 counts of aggression in 2023
Belgian railway staff were victims of acts of aggression over 2,000 times last year. N-VA MP Tomas Roggeman requested these figures from mobility minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), blaming the Vivaldi government of "culpable negligence".
In 2023, NMBS/SNCB railway staff faced 2,298 counts of aggression during their shifts, averaging more than six incidents per day. "In reality, this figure is many times higher, as not every act of physical or verbal aggression is reported by the staff member," the rail company said. The acts of aggression left 348 employees unable to work, accounting for a total of 57,000 working hours. In 1,373 cases it involved threats or insults, in 925 cases it involved actual physical aggression, such as assault and battery.
"Time and again, we call on minister Gilkinet and his colleague from the Interior to finally take action, but no progress is being made," said Roggeman during a parliamentary hearing. "On the contrary: the NMBS staff has to go to work day after day with the idea that they will be the next that could be hit. Even a resolution by N-VA to increase safety in rail transport was voted down by the federal majority parties with the message that they want to wait and see how the figures evolve. This is simply guilty negligence."
Call for reforms
N-VA's requests for changes within the rail system included a different interpretation of Securail's tasks and more efficient communication between Securail and the Railway Police so that more decisive action can be taken. In addition, the opposition party asked for additional security officers on trains and in stations and to allow them to handcuff unruly persons pending the arrival of the police. N-VA also asks that Securail agents be equipped with body cameras. NMBS CEO Sophie Dutordoir also supports this proposal, says Roggeman.
#FlandersNewsService |©Photo BELPRESS
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