BRUSSELS, March 19 (Reuters) – Around 400 teachers and students from European Union (EU) schools in Brussels staged a half-day strike on Wednesday to protest against what they described as unfair employment conditions for locally hired teachers.
The striking educators, joined by parents, are demanding better protections, including the right to union representation and a structured pension plan.
The EU schools, which serve approximately 28,000 children of EU institution staff and diplomats, have a teaching workforce that is divided into two categories: teachers seconded by EU member states and those hired locally.
While seconded teachers enjoy better employment conditions, locally hired teachers are paid less and lack key labor protections under EU law.
Teachers Demand Legal Protections
The protest was led by teachers calling for an official legal framework that would grant them the right to unionize and secure fair working conditions. Among them was Lucile Henry, a Belgian Social Sciences teacher, who voiced frustration over the current system.
“We lack official teacher status, a teachers’ pension, and the right to unionize,” Henry said. “It’s embarrassing.”
The protesting teachers argue that without these fundamental rights, their job security and financial stability remain uncertain.
They emphasized that the absence of a proper pension plan and legal union representation puts them at a disadvantage compared to their seconded colleagues.
Calls for Union Delegation Recognition
A key demand of the strike is the formal recognition of a union delegation that would allow locally hired teachers to collectively negotiate for their rights.
Protesters believe that an official legal framework for such representation would improve their working conditions and provide a structured mechanism for addressing grievances.
Tom Holvoet, union secretary of the Christian trade union ACV Puls, stressed that forming a union would be a crucial step toward securing fair treatment for locally hired teachers.
“The formation of an actual union would be a first step to improving the situation of locally-hired teachers,” Holvoet said.
EU Schools Administration Responds
Andreas Beckmann, Secretary-General of EU schools, acknowledged the concerns raised by the protesting staff and assured that many of their requests could be addressed through structured proposals.
“There already is a well-established social dialogue with elected staff representations,” Beckmann stated in response to the strike.
Despite this assurance, the striking teachers argue that existing dialogues do not sufficiently address their concerns and that stronger institutional backing is needed to ensure meaningful change.
Full-Day Strike Planned for April 1
As the dispute remains unresolved, a final full-day strike has been scheduled for April 1. Organizers hope that the demonstration will pressure the EU schools administration to take concrete steps toward improving employment conditions for locally hired teachers.
With tensions mounting and growing support from students and parents, the teachers are determined to continue their fight for fair treatment, calling on EU institutions to uphold the labor rights of all educators within the system.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
