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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Belgium braced for general strike | Belgium braced for general strike |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Unions in Belgium are preparing to stage a 24-hour general strike expected to cause transport chaos. | Unions in Belgium are preparing to stage a 24-hour general strike expected to cause transport chaos. |
| Workers are protesting at the rising cost of living and what they see as a government failure to fulfil promises to ease inflation. | Workers are protesting at the rising cost of living and what they see as a government failure to fulfil promises to ease inflation. |
| The strike will hit domestic transport networks and has forced Eurostar to cancel services to and from the UK. | The strike will hit domestic transport networks and has forced Eurostar to cancel services to and from the UK. |
| Belgium has been in political crisis for the past 15 months amid divisions between French and Flemish speakers. | |
| The strike, due to start on Sunday evening, will force the closure of the Gare du Midi and the rest of the Belgian rail network. | The strike, due to start on Sunday evening, will force the closure of the Gare du Midi and the rest of the Belgian rail network. |
| Train services from Belgium to neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands and France are also being cancelled because of the strike. | Train services from Belgium to neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands and France are also being cancelled because of the strike. |
| "We have been waiting two years for answers on our purchasing power from the government, so now we are taking action," Rudy de Leeuw, head of the ABVV union, one of three taking part in the strike, told VRT Television. | "We have been waiting two years for answers on our purchasing power from the government, so now we are taking action," Rudy de Leeuw, head of the ABVV union, one of three taking part in the strike, told VRT Television. |
| Some government ministries will also be shut, as well as post offices and some school childcare services, the Associated Press reported the unions as saying. | Some government ministries will also be shut, as well as post offices and some school childcare services, the Associated Press reported the unions as saying. |
| Business groups said they would take legal action against unions if they tried to picket in an effort to block people or deliveries from entering company premises during the strike, AP said. | Business groups said they would take legal action against unions if they tried to picket in an effort to block people or deliveries from entering company premises during the strike, AP said. |