Teachers at European schools protest for union representation
Teachers at Brussels’ European schools will demonstrate this week to demand union representation and equal rights for locally recruited staff, the Brussels Times reports.
The teachers announced several actions at the start of February. Following a two-hour strike on 20 February, they will now hold a half-day strike on Wednesday. The demonstration will start at 9:30 near Schuman.
Their central demand is the same: permission to set up a union delegation. “This would be a first step to giving them the opportunity to organise and inform themselves, but also to tackle any issues they are having,” Tom Holvoet, secretary of the Christian trade union ACV Puls, told the Brussels Times.
"We do not believe that meeting the same people on the same subject will produce anything different, unless something essential changes"
He said they had decided to strike after attempts to explain their case via meetings had failed. “We do not believe that meeting again with the same people on the same subject will produce anything different, unless something essential changes.”
The lack of union representation affects equal rights for seconded teachers (détachés) sent by EU member states and locally recruited teachers (LRTs).
While the two do the same job on a day-to-day basis, LRTs do not benefit from job security, fair salary structures or proper career progression, leaving them vulnerable to sudden job losses, contract reductions and unpredictable working hours.
Brussels' fourth European school in Laeken © BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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