Stop the new Belgian government: "The wave of resistance against the right-wing storm"

This government is launching an all-out assault on workers' social rights and gains, as well as on democratic rights, in particular against trade unions and associations, and it wants to install unbridled militarization. It's a particularly dangerous social project, for the benefit of the ultra-rich. 

This dangerous social project is not inevitable. We can oppose it. Together, by having our voices heard. We will oppose Arizona's rightist storm by organizing a wave of solidarity and resistance.

The trade unions, joined by associations, have already called for a large-scale mobilization on February 13 in Brussels. The trade unions, associations, the cultural sector, the peace movement, young people and society as a whole will make this government back down.

Let's talk about the 13 main assaults of this Arizona government. 

1. The pension theft
More than 1 in 3 workers risk a ‘pension malus’ on early retirement, with a loss of up to 404 euros per month. People working arduous jobs are amongst the first to be affected. Women are also particularly at risk due to a lot of part-time work and caring responsibilities. 

Many people will have to work at least a year longer. The regulations concerning arduous jobs in the private sector will be abolished. Civil servants, railway workers, military personnel, teachers, police officers and fire-fighters will also lose certain pension benefits.

2. Billionaires escape unscathed
Arizona wants to cut 23 billion euros, but leaves billionaires alone. The billionaires manage their shares mainly through corporations and are thus mostly spared the capital gains tax. Small investors and savers are affected, however.

3. Night bonuses abolished
People working in distribution risk losing their night bonuses between 8 pm and midnight. The ban on night work will be abolished, as will the legal closing day.

4. Hyperflexibility
Extra pay for overtime work will be phased out. Employees will therefore have to agree to work up to 240 hours of overtime, i.e. 5 hours a week, without extra pay.

5. Extension of wage freeze
A record number of at least 6.4 billion in dividends will be paid to shareholders this year. Yet Arizona wants to be able to keep banning any pay increases on top of the index, even in large profitable companies.

6. Health care cuts
The Arizona government claims it ‘invests in healthcare’. The budget table says otherwise. They will create a deficit of over a billion and a half euros in the coming years. On top of this, healthcare professionals will have to be more flexible and work longer hours.

7. Anti-union laws
Spontaneous industrial action could now be condemned. They're also recalling the old ‘ban on demonstrations’, where judges can ban people from participating in actions. 

8. The hunt for substitute incomes
The welfare envelope serves to keep replacement incomes in cases of illness, unemployment and retirement, among others, welfare-proof. Arizona is cutting this budget by 2.9 billion euros, plunging tens of thousands of people into poverty. The long-term sick and the unemployed are the dupes.
 

9 First steps towards distinguishing between first and second-class citizens
Newcomers to Belgium will only be entitled to a decent wage after 5 years in the country. This is a first step towards creating second-class citizens, as concocted in the program of the fascist party Vlaams Blok. In addition, thousands of shelters will be destroyed and aid to migrants will be considered suspect.

10. Militarization at the expense of our pensions
Between 2017 and 2024, our military spending almost doubled, from €3.9 billion to €7.4 billion. Arizona wants to increase this amount still to €13.4 billion and even more thereafter. This money will go to the F-35 manufacturers, at the expense of our pensions.

Arizona also wants to allow military advisors to give promotional talks in schools. Peace education, diplomacy and disarmament no longer have a chance. Arizona wants to prepare our minds for war.

11. Joining Trump's cold war
The entire Arizona government is putting itself at the service of Trump's new cold war. The USA is literally described as the "most important partner" in terms of "global security", and China is referred to as ‘a systemic rival’.

12. Dismantling development cooperation
There's a genocide going on in Palestine, a devastating war is taking place in Congo, and President Trump just wants to set the world on fire even more. Yet Arizona is reducing solidarity and wants to cut development cooperation budgets by a quarter.

13. No sanctions against Israel
The coalition agreement talks glossily about ‘a conflict’ between Israel and Palestine. This is but a euphemism. Not one word about genocide, not one word about Belgian sanctions against Israeli war crimes.