The National Syndicate of Police and Security Personnel (NSPV) and the VSOA police union have jointly issued a strike notice from 26 April to 5 May, in protest against Interior minister Bernard Quintin’s proposal to assign static security at Belgium’s nuclear power plants to the army.

The notice concerns members of the Belgian federal police, in particular within the Directorate of Protection and General Directorate of Administrative Police.

According to the unions, Quintin announced, without prior social dialogue, that the army would once again take over static security at the country’s nuclear power plants. This task is currently carried out by the police. “This announcement has understandably caused considerable anxiety within the units concerned,” the unions said.

Demanding clarity

“With this notice, we demand clarity on the exact scope and timing of the protocol with the ministry of Defence, as well as guarantees for social measures to protect the rights and interests of the personnel involved,” the statement added.

Since 2016, Belgium’s federal police have been responsible for static security at nuclear sites. The shift followed the Brussels attacks of 22 March 2016, which led to heightened terror alert levels. Security duties at sites like Doel and Tihange were transferred from the army to specialised police units, specifically the Directorate of Protection.

^{© KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP}