The Worker Speaks: the three-day strike of 23-26 November 2025

With The Worker Speaks, we primarily seek to engage in conversation with individuals from the working class with the intention of allowing them to express themselves as fully as possible, something that is consistently lacking in the mainstream media. We accomplish this by asking prepared questions to initiate the conversation, using structured questions and improvisation during the conversation, and endeavoring to allow the worker or student to lead the conversation themselves. Interviews always remain anonymous unless the person has given their explicit consent to share personal information.

Interview 1

“Yes, striking is everyone’s right, but it is not an obligation. So I fully respect people who do not feel comfortable taking to the streets. But we are taking to the streets for everyone, not just for ourselves, but also for those people, and we will continue to fight to make things better for everyone.”

Interviewer: Why are you here today? Worker #1: Well, because we have a problem with the new government, with everything they want to push through. One of the major issues is actually pensions, which affect everyone. Everyone will have to work longer for less pay and a smaller pension. I represent the postal service, and if you look at our postmen, they would have to deliver post and parcels until they are 67, so to speak. I can almost see them walking with a walking frame at 67. Interviewer: Was this something that was partly present in previous governments, or something that you think has only come to the fore now? Worker #1: It’s mainly since we got a more right-wing government with Mr De Wever at the helm. Interviewer: What are your personal expectations of this strike? What do you think can be achieved? Worker #1: Our expectations are mainly that we send a signal, a clear signal to the population, just as we did with the last demonstration in Brussels [11 October 2025] to this government, that this is not the path the population wants to take. Interviewer: How would you change today’s society if it were up to you? That’s a very broad question, of course, but are there things that you think ‘That really needs to change now’ and ‘The government could do that, or we could bring about change with this strike’? Worker #1: Well, we are becoming a more diverse society. People are living longer anyway, so there needs to be a more social and diverse policy. And with a right-wing government, you’re not going to create a more diverse or more social policy. Interviewer: So you would argue for a left-wing government, a left-wing coalition government, I suppose? Worker #1: That’s right. Interviewer: Is there anything else you would like to say to people who are not participating in the strike or who are currently opposed to it? Worker #1: Yes, striking is everyone’s right, but it is not an obligation. So I fully respect people who do not feel comfortable taking to the streets. But we are taking to the streets for everyone, not just for ourselves, but also for those people, and we will continue to fight to make things better for everyone. Interviewer: So you are actually taking the initiative on behalf of all workers? Worker #1: Yes, and we just hope that people will join us on the streets to express their dissatisfaction as well.

Interview 2

“I don’t have high expectations, to be honest. I’ve been around for a long time and I’ve taken part in many strikes and protests. Expectations, I don’t know. Of course, I hope that people will finally listen. They were elected, so they should listen.”

Interviewer: Why are you here today? Worker #2: I am here today because I disagree with the government’s decisions. I am a teacher, I work in adult education, so we have also been affected in other ways by the increase in registration fees, and then mainly by the pension measures. But in general, I personally disagree with the decisions the government is currently making. Interviewer: What are your personal expectations of this strike? What do you think can be achieved? Worker #2: I don’t have high expectations, to be honest. I’ve been around for a long time and I’ve taken part in many strikes and protests. Expectations, I don’t know. Of course, I hope that people will finally listen. They were elected, so they should listen. Interviewer: Do you feel that no one is really listening? Worker #2: Not really, no, just not, eh? Interviewer: As a female worker, do you feel that the reforms have had an extra impact on you? Worker #2: Personally, I’m already 50 and when I was on maternity leave, the situation was different. At the moment, I don’t think there’s really any difference for me. But of course, the impact is greater on young women. Interviewer: Do you have anything to say to the people who didn’t join the strike or who are opposed to it? Worker #2: I think that’s a personal decision. I know many colleagues who are not participating in the strike, but that doesn’t mean they are against it. They are not fans of the government’s decisions either. But yes, striking is a very personal thing and I have mixed feelings about it. But if we don’t make our voices heard, nothing will change.

Interview 3

“According to the prognosis, I would lose €750 net in pension, over 40 years of course. So compared to the new plan versus the old plan, that is enormous, of course. I am trying to get my students a little excited about why I am going on strike and how that works. And that’s also a bit of my goal, to build a broader network where people are aware of the purpose of striking and its usefulness. Because all those social achievements are things that have come about through social struggle. Think of basic things like voting rights, social security… they now want to quietly dismantle that without us flinching, to make us accept it. But we’re not going to let them do that, of course.”

Interviewer: Why are you here today? Worker #3: Mainly because of the pension measures. They affect us very badly as teaching staff. That’s something that also affects me personally, as I’ve only been in education for two years, but it will have a huge impact in the long term. According to the prognosis, I would lose €750 net in pension, over 40 years of course. So compared to the new plan versus the old plan, that is enormous, of course. I am trying to get my students a little excited about why I am going on strike and how that works. And that’s also a bit of my goal, to build a broader network where people are aware of the purpose of striking and its usefulness. Because all those social achievements are things that have come about through social struggle. Think of basic things like voting rights, social security… they now want to quietly dismantle that without us flinching, to make us accept it. But we’re not going to let them do that, of course. So we have to send a signal, nothing has been decided yet. The plans are there, but nothing has been decided, so we definitely have to take a stand, especially as public services, education, everyone who is here today. A great group of people together, very important for the common good. That’s a bit of a summary of why I’m here. Worker #4: We mustn’t forget age either. I’ve been teaching for two years now, but I can’t see myself doing it when I’m older. The groups I get are tough, aren’t they? Difficult lads. I’ve had lads with ankle tags. When I’m older, if something goes wrong, there’s nothing I can do about it. I won’t be safe there anymore either. Physically, I won’t be able to handle it anymore, and I think people sometimes forget that, and sometimes the government does too. Worker #3: It’s a tough job and it should be recognised as such in a way. Many people say, ‘Ah, okay, teachers, holidays this and that,’ but everything that comes with working from home is something that is often completely forgotten. So I think that’s also an important point, the recognition of that difficult profession and also the recognition of the teaching profession as something valuable. We are training the future labour market, something that is indispensable, so we deserve some appreciation. Not only in terms of salary, but also in terms of pensions. We don’t have any fringe benefits, unlike people in the private sector. We don’t have company cars, GSMS or any other extra benefits. Golden handshakes, that sort of thing isn’t really possible in education. So that’s an important point we want to make. Interviewer: Do you think the reforms will have a greater impact on young people? Worker #3: Absolutely, yes. Young people will feel this most keenly, the cuts to pensions, I think. That’s something I want to emphasize, absolutely.

Interview 4

“Bart De Wever’s government forms coalitions with other parties that gravitate towards him. Every time, promises are made before the elections, and afterwards it’s suddenly completely different. We can’t stand it when they start lying to the people. The people who actually vote for the De Wever government, it’s very sad to then say afterwards: ‘Look, everything we promised you is not being realised’. It’s only getting worse, we have to pay more tax every time, a lot of things are being taken away, human rights.”

Interviewer: Why are you here today? Worker #5: I’m here to protest against the government, which has always lied to us. That’s the only reason we’re striking, otherwise we would never have been here. Interviewer: Have you participated in other strikes? Worker #5: Almost all of them. Ever since the government lied to us, from the first time they were elected. Interviewer: So you’re at the front of the line? Worker #5: At the front line, yes [laughter]. We are very peaceful, it’s not like we’re obstructing people or anything. Everyone has their own choice, whether or not to strike. But it is very important to make your voice heard and send a signal that “look, this is going too far”, and we need to see that instead of going backwards, we are moving forwards, especially for ordinary people. Interviewer: You’re talking about the De Wever government. Do you think these problems were already partly present before this new government, or is it really a symptom of this government itself? Worker #5: Bart De Wever’s government forms coalitions with other parties that gravitate towards him. Every time, promises are made before the elections, and afterwards it’s suddenly completely different. We can’t stand it when they start lying to the people. The people who actually vote for the De Wever government, it’s very sad to then say afterwards: ‘Look, everything we promised you is not being realised’. It’s only getting worse, we have to pay more tax every time, a lot of things are being taken away, human rights. Interviewer: Is it correct to say that you think those elections are mainly a show, and that politicians make a lot of promises that are not kept by the various parties? Or do you see it differently? Worker #5: No, that’s what you say. That’s exactly right. They always say they’ll deliver, but they never do. That’s also thanks to the other parties who go along with it, right? We still don’t understand it. I really want to understand, but they always push us further into that pit, and it just keeps coming, and after a while we have nowhere left to go. Interviewer: What exactly do you want to achieve with this strike, or what do you want? What is the personal benefit of the strikes for you? Worker #5: That they should just do what they promised, so just fulfil their promises. You have to keep your promises, right? So that’s the only thing. And that will help us a lot more, and if taxes have to be paid, then yes, okay, the health insurance fund will also contribute to that, and care for the people who need it, we are very open to that. But they shouldn’t keep making new budgets that fall on us. Interviewer: As I see it, the workers have no say in the matter? Worker #5: Not at all. We don’t have a say, you see. It’s not just about the workers, but also the employees, in all sectors. Even if we raise our voices, it’s not appreciated or taken into account. Interviewer: Is there anything you would like to say to people who did not go on strike today or who are opposed to the strike? Worker #5: Definitely come and join the strike. The more of us there are, the more we can send a signal to the government and say: look, something is not right here. So if you see people who are not striking yet, I would say: come and join the strike so that we can really send a signal to the government.