VRT unions shut down broadcasts for four hours

Unions representing staff at the Flemish public broadcaster VRT carried out promised industrial action yesterday in protest at the cutback plan presented on Monday by management to the board of directors. The plan involves savings of €25 million by 2020, including the loss of 286 jobs.

In protest at job losses, unions shut down normal programming on all VRT television and radio channels from 6.00 to 10.00 yesterday, while a picket at the entrance to the headquarters in Brussels (pictured) remained until noon.

The plan, which also involved decreasing regional input to Radio 2 and closing offices in Antwerp and Kortrijk, were leaked to the press last week. On Monday the board met to consider the plan for the first time and scrapped the changes to Radio 2..

According to socialist union ACOD, some sections of VRT staff are prepared to strike if the plan is not further amended and official talks opened with unions. Unions and management were due to talk today, amid accusations by the union that management had threatened sanctions against certain members of staff if they did not turn up on Tuesday for work as usual.

Photo: Bruno Fahy/BELGA