The Belgian federal government has accelerated the enforcement of minimum service requirements during postal strikes, a move that allows authorities to demand staffing levels from the very first day of industrial action.
The policy shift marks a significant hardening of the state's stance on labor disputes within the public sector, aiming to prevent the severe disruptions that have characterized recent stoppages.
Postal unions have reacted with sharp criticism, describing the new measures as an aggressive escalation.
Union representatives argue that the government is forcing them into a "war mode," effectively stripping away traditional negotiation leverage and setting the stage for more confrontational labor relations.
The backlash highlights the deepening rift between public sector workers and federal ministers over the balance between strike rights and service continuity.
This development follows a period of intense industrial action in Belgium, including recent filter blockades by the socialist union CGSP at Brussels' MIVB depots, which paralyzed bus and tram networks.