Belgium: the extension of anticrisis measures revives the debate on the harmonization of blue-collar and white-collar statuses

Harmonizing blue-collar and white-collar workers’ statuses. This is an old awe-inspiring specter for Belgian social dialog, resurfacing with the economic crisis. After negotiations between the social partners failed again on November 27, they turned to the government which met with them on November 30. After the meeting, Prime Minister Yves Leterme refused to come out in favor of either party on the issue of the harmonization of blue-collar and white-collar statuses. The government wants to extend the anticrisis measures adopted in may (see our dispatch No. 090507) until June 30, 2010, but unions are opposed to the extension of short-time working to white-collar workers. They will agree to these measures if progress is made on the harmonization of blue-collar and white-collar statuses. Thwarted by this meeting with the government and denouncing anticrisis measures in favor of employers rather than workers, unions called, on Monday, for a demonstration today, Friday, December 04, 2009.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

rmonization of blue-collar and white-collar statuses. Thwarted by this meeting with the government and denouncing anticrisis measures in favor of employers rather than workers, unions called, on Monday, for a demonstration today, Friday, December 04, 2009.

Discrimination. Regularly, the “group of ten” – the Belgian social partners – takes up the issue of the harmonization of the two statuses, without ever reaching an agreement. Unions admit that it is a complicated case since it doesn’t simply t

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
United Kingdom: trade unions can now use electronic and workplace voting
The news. The provisions of the UK Employment Rights Act 2025 authorising electronic and workplace voting for trade union ballots came into force on Tuesday, 25 August. They apply to trade union...
Netherlands: Uber fined over 800 million euros for automated algorithmic decisions
The news. In a decision dated 17 August, the Dutch Data Protection Authority fined ride-hailing company Uber €825 million for automating decisions regarding driver account deactivations. The...
Portugal: open consultation on the transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive
The news. On 5 August 2026, the Portuguese government published a document proposing a draft text to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive as the basis for a public consultation open until...
EU: the Commission will set up an Expert Group on the impact of AI in the world of work
The news. On 22 July 2026, the European Commission published a progress report on the EU-27’s achievements regarding the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights, reinforced by the...