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.
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.
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