Depiction of striking Belgian workers in 1893 by the painter Eugène Laermans
Since 1893, there have been a number of general strikes in Belgium. Occasioned by the emergence of the labour movement and socialism in Belgium, general strikes have been an enduring part of Belgian political life. Originally intended to encourage the reform of the franchise, more recent strikes have focused on issues of wages and opposition to government austerity. Since 1945, general strikes have been co-ordinated by the General Federation of Belgian Labour (ABVV-FGTB), a federation of Socialist trade unions, while most before World War II were organised by the parliamentary Belgian Labour Party (POB-BWP).
In 1866, the Belgian government revoked the articles of the Le Chapelier Law which had outlawed trade unions.[2] The first strikes followed soon after. A mining strike occurred in 1868 and textile workers went on strike during the economic depression of the 1870s.[2] In 1885, the Belgian Labour Party, the country's first socialist parliamentary party, was formed.[2] Despite the rapid growth of the labour movement, during the nineteenth century Belgian workers were known internationally for their low pay and poor working conditions.[3]
The first major strike in Belgian history was the Belgian strike of 1886 which, though unorganised, led to the first legislation regarding working conditions.[4]
Successfully led to the establishment of universal male suffrage with plural votes.[3] Thirteen strikers were killed and socialist leaders were briefly arrested.[5]
Failed to achieve the abolition of the plural vote as Catholics and Liberals united to oppose constitutional reform. The Belgian Workers' Party had been reluctant to support the strike and it soon descended into violence in Brussels and parts of Wallonia. 12 workers and one policeman were killed. Union membership dropped sharply in its aftermath.[5]
Carefully planned to avoid the same problems as 1902, the strike gained the promise of electoral reform but its proposals were postponed by the outbreak of World War I and the subsequent German occupation. The policy was finally adopted in 1919.[3][6]
Began after a spontaneous strike by coal miners in the Borinage and involved Communist agitation following a severe decrease in living standards and real wages during the Great Depression. Two people were killed during the strike.[7]
Broke out at the port of Antwerp and led to the creation of a National Labour Conference.[7] Although influenced by the French Popular Front and held against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, it was also supported by Catholic trade unions.[8]
Strike over the winter of 1960-61 which failed to defeat the government's austerity programme known as the Unitary Law (Loi Unique; Eenheidswet). Its failure to attract support in Flanders, combined with the industrial decline of Wallonia, contributed to the growing language divide in Belgium.[9]
1982
February, November, December
Belgian national strikes of 1982
Austerity, union reform, devaluation of the Belgian franc
Cook, Bernard A. (2004). Belgium: A History. Studies in Modern European History (3rd ed.). New York: Peter Lang. ISBN0-8204-7647-1.
Witte, Els; Craeybeckx, Jan; Meynen, Alain (2009). Political History of Belgium from 1830 Onwards (New ed.). Brussels: ASP. ISBN978-90-5487-517-8.
Strikwerda, Carl (1997). A House Divided: Catholics, Socialists, and Flemish Nationalists in Nineteenth-century Belgium. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN978-0847685271.
Coenen, Marie-Thérèse (2004). L'État de la Belgique: 1989 - 2004, quinze années a la charnière du siècle (1st ed.). Brussels: De Boeck Univ. ISBN9782804146382.
Further reading
Merkx, Kris; Deruette, Serge (1999). La Vie en Rose: Réalités de l'Histoire du Parti socialiste en Belgique. Brussels: EPO. ISBN2872621474.
Polasky, Janet L. (July 1992). "A Revolution for Socialist Reforms: The Belgian General Strike for Universal Suffrage". Journal of Contemporary History. 27 (3): 449–66. doi:10.1177/002200949202700304. JSTOR260900.
Liebman, M. (1967). "La pratique de la grève generale dans le Parti ouvrier belge jusqu'en 1914". Le Mouvement Social (58): 41–62. doi:10.2307/3777236. JSTOR3777236.
