28 June 2005

BRUSSELS — Vorst prison management placed an offer on the negotiating table at a meeting with unions on Monday in a bid to end a crippling strike.

Management offered to recruit 13 extra workers, eight of whom would be transferred from another institute and five of whom were taken on after a recent hiring process.

But unions said the proposal would take too long to come into effect, warning that the situation at the prison was "urgent", newspaper 'Het Laatste Nieuws' reported.

A union official said the period of notice workers had to give, the approaching holiday period and the availability of staff need to be taken into account.

Warders at the Vorst prison walked off the job on Monday, warning they will continue striking until the bitter end.

Besides demands to increase the number of warders from 269 to 290, the guards are also demanding the repair of an internal telephone system which has been defective for years.

Management said it wants to put the repair work up for public tender, but this will also take some time.

The proposals will be presented to staff on Tuesday morning, at which point a decision will be made whether the strike will be continued.

Police took up the gaps left by the striking warders on Monday.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news