Belgium hit by national strike

Passengers are having to cope with a national strike in Belgium with planes, trains and buses all hit by a stoppage over the new government’s austerity policies.

The strike is affecting Brussels, tourist spots such as Bruges and the ports of Antwerp and Ostend.

The government wants to save 11 billion euros over five years and plans to scrap a usually automatic cost-of-living raise and is introducing public sector cutbacks along with raising the retirement age from 65 to 67 from 2030.

Read more: Belgium hit by national strike | euronews, world news

USA - Labor unrest: Michael Moore: "America is not broke"

Michael Moore has a message for Wisconsinites: Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe -- so that you'll give up your pension, cut your wages, and settle for the life your great-grandparents had -- America is not broke.

For more: Michael Moore: "America is not broke" - Michael Moore - Salon.com

TNT Says Dutch Mail Carriers' Strike May Delay Delivery of Christmas Cards - by Jeroen Molenaar

TNT NV, the Dutch postal company spinning off its express-delivery business, may lose customers as its mail carriers in the Netherlands went on strike two weeks before the Christmas holidays. Postal workers began a three-day strike last night over planned jobs cuts at the Netherlands’ largest postal-delivery service.

The Abvakabo FNV union, which represents 10,000 TNT staff, doesn’t rule out additional walkouts before the holidays, spokeswoman Ilse van der Poel said. “At times we can’t offer certainty, clients may choose other options, like digitalizing their mail or choosing a competitor,” TNT spokeswoman Wendy Eelsing said in a telephone interview today. “We do think we can deliver the Christmas cards in time, albeit with a slight delay.”

TNT, which last year lost its state-regulated monopoly on letter-delivery, is aiming to cut 11,000 positions because of increasing competition in its domestic market and eroding delivery prices. Letter volumes are also dropping due to e-mail. TNT last week announced plans to spin off the Express unit, the second-biggest in Europe, and retain the smaller mail division.

For more: TNT Says Dutch Mail Carriers' Strike May Delay Delivery of Christmas Cards - Bloomberg

Wave of strikes cripples Europe as workers vent fury at budget cuts - by Anita Brooks and Vanessa Mock

Workers across Europe yesterday vented their anger against government spending cuts and tax hikes that unions said would punish the poor.

Rallies were called in 13 capital cities and millions of Spanish workers went on strike in a mass action that hobbled public transport, paralysed building work and left streets littered with uncollected rubbish. 

Some 100,000 workers, including German miners and Polish shipbuilders, brought Brussels to a standstill to protest against savage spending cuts they claimed would make workers the biggest victims of an economic crisis that they are blaming on bankers and traders in the financial markets.

For more: Wave of strikes cripples Europe as workers vent fury at budget cuts - Europe, World - The Independent