Police unions threaten to strike in protest at Canal Plan

Unions representing the federal police’s General Reserve have announced their intention to strike in protest at the government’s Canal Plan, drawn up by home affairs minister Jan Jambon to tackle radicalisation and terrorism in a number of Brussels municipalities. The strike is announced for the last week of February.

The Canal Plan was developed in the wake of investigations of links between residents of Molenbeek and the terrorist attacks last November in Paris. Jambon vowed to “clean up Molenbeek,” but the plan takes in Brussels-City, Schaerbeek, Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht, Koekelberg and Saint-Josse, as well as Molenbeek and Vilvorde. It promises 1,000 extra police by 2019 and closer co-operation between police and municipal officials working on radicalisation.

Unions are not protesting the plan but its implementation, as officers from the General Reserve – who act as emergency intervention teams – have been transferred to duties in Molenbeek and Vilvorde without consultation. “Colleagues who were detailed to those places, where they will be working – albeit indirectly – on terrorism, were informed by a simple phone call on 29 January,” a spokesperson said. “They were to report for duty in Molenbeek or Vilvorde on 1 February, without even being told anything about the job or the working conditions.”

The unions are demanding information for officers affected, arrangements for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses and a proper procedure for the reassignment of reserve officers in future. They will be meeting with Jambon next week. If the strike does go ahead, it will begin on 22 February at midnight and last until 7.00 on 29 February.

Photo courtesy lokalepolitie.be