Army unions planning retirement protests
The 4 military unions can't agree with the decisions taken by the federal government. They accept that the present retirement age of 56 has to go up, but not at the pace proposed by the government, which would end up to 63 years by 2030.
Foto Kurt bvba
(archive picture)
The pension age will be lifted to 57 years in 2018, in order to be increased by 6 months each year afterwards, to reach 63 by 2030. Edwin Lauwereins of the liberal trades union VSOA says that "we can live with the fact that members of the military will have to work longer. But the transition has to be fair. People who are 7 years from their pension at present, will suddenly have to wait 14 years. This is not correct."
Trades unions are now looking into ways to voice their protests. Under Belgian law they can't go on strike.