Belgium
Opel workers demonstrate in Antwerp in defence of jobs
Works councils and unions prepare sell-out
By our reporters, September 25, 2009
On Wednesday, 3,500 Opel employees demonstrated in front of the factory gate at the Opel plant in Antwerp, Belgium, to defend their jobs. Trade union leaders cynically exploited the rally to prepare j...
Belgium: New Year, new government, continuing crisis
By Paul Bond, January 12, 2009
Following the resignation of Yves Leterme the week before Christmas, Christian Democrat Herman Van Rompuy became the country’s third prime minister of 2008. Leterme’s government fell in a bank bai...
Tensions between leading European nations and US following NATO meeting
Foreign ministers agree to resume talks with Russia
By Stefan Steinberg, December 5, 2008
The NATO summit this week in Brussels delivered a renewed rebuff to the US over membership in the organization by Georgia and Ukraine, refusing to bow to pressure from Condoleezza Rice for a speedy ac...
Benelux countries intervene to bail out Fortis
The rise and fall of Fortis
By Stephan Steinberg, October 1, 2008
Stock markets across Europe tumbled on Monday following the news that leading banks across the continent were facing collapse.
Belgium: Undocumented workers’ hunger strikes reach critical point
By Paul Bond, September 3, 2008
Recent days have seen an escalation of protests in support of undocumented workers (sans papiers) in Belgium. The protests are being stepped up amid fears for the health of around 80 sans papiers who ...
20,000 march against closure of Volkswagen factory in Brussels
By our correspondents, December 6, 2006
More than 20,000 workers marched through the centre of Brussels December 2 to protest the threatened closure of the Volkswagen factory in the suburb of Forest. Some 5,000 Volkswagen workers from the F...
Volkswagen strike in Brussels enters third week
German VW workers express solidarity with Belgium colleagues
By Marianne Arens, December 2, 2006
The strike by Volkswagen workers at the VW Forest factory in Brussels against the loss of 4,000 jobs and the threatened closure of the factory has now entered its third week. The termination of produc...
Support the struggle of Volkswagen workers in Brussels!
Set up defense committees independently of the works council and trade unions!
By by Editorial Board, November 25, 2006
The strike by Volkswagen workers in Brussels makes clear the urgency of organizing a joint struggle by workers at all VW locations and plants.
Belgian Volkswagen factory occupied
“It is high time to wake up and become political”
By our reporters, November 25, 2006
The Volkswagen Forest works in the west of Brussels has been occupied around the clock for the past week. Of the 5,800 employees at the factory, 4,000 are threatened with dismissal, following the deci...
Strike and occupation at Volkswagen works in Belgium
By Helmut Arens, November 23, 2006
More than 5,000 workers at the Forest Volkswagen factory in Brussels have been on strike since last Friday. The workers also occupied parts of the factory at the start of the week in order to prevent ...
Belgium: Losses for ruling coalition as far right make gains
By Paul Bond, October 23, 2006
Last week’s municipal elections in Belgium revealed a deepening political crisis across the country. The parties of the national ruling coalition of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt fared badly ah...
Belgium: Racist murderer linked to Flemish nationalists
By Paul Bond, June 21, 2006
Some 20,000 people, many wearing white armbands, joined a march against racism in Belgium’s second largest city, Antwerp, last month. The march had been called following two recent attacks in th...
