Grow up!

Today I want to write a special topic. Finally someone in the Belgian national press is speaking what everyone with a little sense is thinking. The article was written in Flemish, so I will provide you with a full translation. I don't leave anything out, and if I add something I will do so in yellow. The pictures I added myself. First, let me briefly explain the context so you are able to situate the article...

Another voice

As you know the Belgians had elections a long time ago. To be precise: today, 537 days since there were general elections on Sunday, June 13, 2010. Since that day different parties and politicians have negotiated to come to an agreement to solve Belgians problems. It is clear that the struggle was profound when it came to national issues, but in light of the turmoil on the financial markets in the euro-zone, it is crystal clear that budget cuts are necessary. The state - which means: all of us - has to reduce spending and find new income - means: higher taxes in general. No country wants to end up as Greece, Portugal or Italy with a crisis so profound it becomes hard to live! On March 29, 2011 (after 289 days) we took from Iraq the record for the longest time without a government in peacetime. So, it is clear that having an agreement after 537 days is an accomplishment given the problems to be solved. A few days ago, when it became clear we had an agreement and hence a new government, the unions decided they did not agree and called for a national strike, which took effect today...

This is the context to which you should relate this article... Enjoy reading!

Note: Copyright of the original article " Word eens volwassen" remains with the authors: Yves Delepeleire, Sarah Vankersschaever en Nikolas Vanhecke. It was published on December 2nd, 2011 in De Standaard and can be found at: http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=CQ3J29NR

GROW UP!

Today we will see the same predictable images on the news: tens of thousands of unions members dressed in red, green and blue are blocking the traffic in Brussels, making much fuss and shouting slogans like 'no to blind cuts', ‘not on the back of the working man' and ‘hands off our early retirement'. There was a time we could just smile about it; we even approved and sympathized with your strikes, even if it was only because they have something of a friendly fair. But today we don't understand you! We really don't!

The Union

When we take a look at the new coalition agreement, then we find it contains sufficient food and drink for the 'working man'. Do we have to make sacrifices? Yes, certainly. As everyone. But in comparison with the social massacres wreaking some other European countries, the sacrifices asked of us by Di Rupo I can be called mere peanuts (Di Rupo is the name of our new Prime Minister, and with the roman numeral "I" added it signifies the first coalition he leads). No increase of the statutory retirement age, no relinquishing of a months salary, no stop on salary negotiations. And, what may be your biggest concern,  an index - nonexistent in all other European countries - that remains untouched (The index is a mechanism linked to a reference number that takes into account several living expenses. And when a critical value is reached all salaries (ea) increase correspondingly, adapting the purchase power of people at the increased living expense). Moreover, from 2013, the tax deductible amount for the low and middle class incomes will be increased with 200 euro. And the lowest pensions are increased as well. If these are crisis-measures, then you should be happy, in stead of shooting down the agreement as came it straight from hell.

That you only want to see the negative side of the agreement, is in our opinion the direct result of one reflex only: conservation. What you call 'social destruction', we don't see as anything more than 'social correction'. No generation has evolved that quickly as the baby-boom-generation. Year after year they received one present after the other (payed career breaks, early retirement from 58, ...), because the society could afford it at that time. We have to arrive at the conclusion that we all have been living too long beyond our means and we will have to work a little longer to keep things for everyone - and specifically for the future generations - a bit survivable. And now, you are telling us: not with us. Just like a child, you don't want to return the candy. That profiles you more than ever as the unions of the acquired rights. It makes you more than ever the voice of just the older generation, who, blind for the reality, takes a stand, digs in and looks back. With such an attitude you accomplish exactly what you claim to be fighting, namely that the invoice should be forwarded to the next generations.

ATTITUDE

We realize that the message of having to work longer, isn't a nice one. If we have to work longer, it does not suffice to increase the age for early retirement. The politicians will have to find creative means to avoid the social dumping of companies and to keep older employees motivated to work, by giving them for instance a lighter workload. There are for sure elderly who want to work. Nevertheless we get the bad feeling that the work attitude of many persons in their late forties and early fifties is getting spoiled. Or do you think it is normal that the only ardent desire of many persons in their early fifties is to enter early retirement 'as soon as possible'? That is for sure an attitude resulting from politics, but that, you, the unions, are supporting now.

Positive attitude

We find that defensive attitude irresponsible, because it is short-sighted and untenable. The inverted population pyramid is a fact. Each year we are with less workers to pay for the still increasing ageing of the population. The measures of Di Rupo I might be sufficient to attenuate the first effects of the ageing, hopefully, but they are so minimal and widespread in time that it is clear today that they will have to be strengthened rather sooner then later. If you can't see that, then you are denying the sunlight. And that makes your rear cap fight painfully embarrassing.

Dear trade unions, you blame the political parties of being too afraid of their voters to take courage decisions. Unfortunately you seem to adopt the same attitude. We can't discard the impression that you only preach what your followers want to hear, in view of the next trade union elections. It makes us wonder if trade unions are still representing the ideology to which they pledge when toasting at new year. With the vision you are promoting today, you are more and more resembling a bad parody of Daens (Belgian film about a priest 'Daens' who fought social injustice during the industrial revolution of the 19th century). 

We are not collaborating with Europe or the employers, about whom you so often say that they never have enough. We are not the spokesman of an ultra liberal ideology, nor heralds of an entire generation. Our outrage is not primarily one of journalists, but rather one of young citizens. It comes straight from the heart. And that profound feeling tells us we are heading straight for a new generation conflict. Not between mother and sun or father and daughter, but between young and old. We are not youngsters who want to give up the solidarity with the older generation. But we can't avoid noticing that now, you, yourself with your attitude are putting at risk the solidarity with future generations.

This is not the only article that appeared today in the Belgian press, but it is one which contains many criticisms I agree with. It presents a healthy perspective and hopefully it starts to make people think before they strike.

To finish I would like to add an initiative from the Union of Independent Entrepreneurs in Belgium. They launched a petition for those who did not strike because they did not want to bring any further harm to the Belgian economy. You can find the online petition (in Flemish only) on their site. Although I am in no way linked to them, I think this was a healthy initiative. Especially because they promoted it by rewarding those who went to work (by serving them a special breakfast).

You're encouraged to leave some comments and to spread the word. I'd love to know what you think about this and how it applies to your profession/region/country/continent...

Enjoy the weekend!
(and the new workweek)

iNR