The unions are asking for new and concrete ones from Minister Van Quickenborne, it sounds. The new prisons that are to open in Haren and Dendermonde in the course of this legislation are not enough to accommodate all detainees, says De Kaey, especially since the Ypres prison will close its doors on 1 March for renovations and that detainees must therefore be accommodated. “We are asking for long-term solutions, within the foreseeable future, also for the staff shortage.”

The unions last Friday together with a representative of the cabinet of the minister. According to the unions, this was “a first constructive consultation”, although a strike could no longer be averted. “The minister has satisfied us in a number of cases. For example, it has been decided to investigate an increase in the personnel management by the middle of this year. We are now testing the proposal on the shop floor,” says De Kaey.

Both VSOA ACOD and the minister who took office in October 2020 were not yet present during the social consultations, but were always represented by someone from his cabinet. “It is good that the minister often speaks to people in the field, but it would be nice if he also made time in his busy schedule to sit down with the social partners.”