The strike action would start Wednesday evening at 10 pm and end on Thursday (1 May, which is a holiday) at 10 pm.

The trade unions complain that there is a discrepancy between what the management promises and what the workers actually get.

"The management proposed giving the workers a wage increase of €250 gross per year for the next three years. This is actually only 1% of the smallest barometer at Belgian Rail," say representatives of the unions.

According to the unions the personnel is being asked to make a lot of concessions regarding flexibility and productivity, but in exchange are getting very little back from the management.