BRUSSELS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A series of protests and demonstrations against the federal government's pension reform plans were organized Tuesday across Belgium by the "trade union common front" (CSC-FGTB-CGSLB).
Thousands of affected workers and protesters are gathering in designated spots in Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders causing a substantive closure of all public transport services.
More than 4,000 protesters gathered on Tuesday around 10 a.m. at Mont-des-Arts in central Brussels for the trade union's national protest.
"We want to make clear to the government and parliamentarians that people do not agree with the current policy, which has no legitimacy," says Estelle Ceulemans, general secretary of the ABVV/FGTB Brussels (General Federation of Belgian Labour).
"Young people, workers and pensioners are speaking with a unified voice that they do not agree with this policy. For young people, the priority must be the creation of real, good jobs," she said.
A trade union delegation will also meet Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and Speaker of the House Siegfried Bracke, Belgian television station RTBF reported.
Trade union demands include, among other things, end-of-career time credits at age 55 and a legal pension at age 65 maximum.
Working until 67 years old is too painful and unfeasible, the unions say.
In Brussels, the vast majority of metros are not circulating and this situation will progress throughout the day, according to the STIB (The Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles).
The Tec buses (Walloon Regional Transport Company) and De Lijn (Flemish Transport Company La Ligne) are also severely disrupted.
Some schools and nurseries will also be affected by the protests, with only a minimum amount of students and children expected to attend, reported the RTBF.
Only the trains of SNCB (National Railway Company of Belgium) are not affected by trade union actions.
In the city of Liege in Wallonia, the FGTB called for a general strike on all public services including post offices, administrative posts, in some hospitals and in some companies.
