How hard should they strike?
Strikes are sometimes the only way to stand your ground, but during yesterday’s rail haul, the most affected part of the contingency was the customers. Hundreds of sad stories followed the union decision to stop 24 hours every activity from Wednesday the 4th at 22:00.
A situation that could have easily happened last thursday
16:30 pm in Charleroi’s train station. A group of students walks around the deserted platforms hoping to take a train to Hasselt. After a trip from Bratislava and a bus from the airport their minds take a while to realize that something is going horribly wrong. The idea of an strike slowly shapes in their minds. After a few questions at the bus information desk, they have only one option: go to Brussels by bus and hope they can take another to their final destiny.
The end of this story could have easily ended by “the students had to sleep in Brussels train station”. Other people were really bothered by the action of the union. It’s true that B-Cargo, the freight division of NMBS-SNCB, were facing a restructuration that could mean 3,000 jobs lost. And it’s also true that last time that the state-owned rail company made a division independent (ABX package service) the results were dramatic. But let’s point out some other truths.
First of all the harshness of the measure can be argued, was it necessary to stop everything?; leaving the lowest amount of trains in order to provide a basic service could have made their point just as much without the suffering of the citizens.
Second is it better for B-Cargo to divide in long-term basis? All private train companies work better if there is competition taking place, this will result in benefits for the customers and for the Belgium economy. Of course the state has to make sure that competition exists. The division was making losses so something had to be done.
What is for sure is that the process has to be smooth and clear, but unions shouldn’t allow their anger to get on the way of thousands of Europeans that try to earn a living like they do.
The day was full of examples, the students’ one wasn’t the worst. The hostels stuffed, the stations looking like dormitories, the taxi drivers taking advantage of the situation. If they want a humane process, please make a humane strike.
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