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).

[1] In 1866, the Belgian government revoked the articles of the Le Chapelier Law which had outlawed trade unions.

[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.