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Transport strikes spark havoc in Belgium
BRUSSELS, May 13 (AFP) - Strikes over management cost-cutting plans and wages by train and bus drivers created traffic chaos in Belgium on Friday and disrupted major services to London and Paris, union officials said.
In Brussels, Eurostar trains to London and high-speed Thalys trains to Paris stopped running from mid-morning.
A strike had been scheduled for the afternoon, but union officials said an incident between an angry passenger and a rail service employee made them bring their planned two-hour stoppage from midday forward.
Regular SNCB state services from other major cities to the capital had stopped running at midnight, but began slowly returning to normal after 2:00 p.m. (1200 GMT), a spokeswoman said.
Marc Heinen from the CSC union said the strike is over a new "management contract" which the unions believe could result in the loss of some 2000 jobs.
Bus drivers in towns including Charleroi, Verviers, Nivelles and Lasne also held stoppages on Friday aimed at pushing through new wage claims.
BRUSSELS, May 13 (AFP) - Strikes over management cost-cutting plans and wages by train and bus drivers created traffic chaos in Belgium on Friday and disrupted major services to London and Paris, union officials said.
In Brussels, Eurostar trains to London and high-speed Thalys trains to Paris stopped running from mid-morning.
A strike had been scheduled for the afternoon, but union officials said an incident between an angry passenger and a rail service employee made them bring their planned two-hour stoppage from midday forward.
Regular SNCB state services from other major cities to the capital had stopped running at midnight, but began slowly returning to normal after 2:00 p.m. (1200 GMT), a spokeswoman said.
Marc Heinen from the CSC union said the strike is over a new "management contract" which the unions believe could result in the loss of some 2000 jobs.
Bus drivers in towns including Charleroi, Verviers, Nivelles and Lasne also held stoppages on Friday aimed at pushing through new wage claims.