Since 26 January, Wallonia has once again been paralysed by a strike at TEC. Behind this conflict are always the same victims: workers unable to reach their jobs, students penalised, isolated elderly people, and citizens dependent on public transport left without a solution.
This situation reveals a deeper problem: some continue to see public service as a political lever rather than a service to the public. That model belongs to the past.
Respect for the right to strike, but priority to the general interest
We fully respect the right to strike. But that right cannot justify a prolonged paralysis of an essential service, especially when social dialogue is open and proposed negotiations remain unanswered.
Today, thousands of Walloons are paying the price for this: lost income, missed medical appointments, professional difficulties and increased isolation for the most vulnerable.
Wallonia must break free from stagnation
For too long, the Walloon left has given in to blockages and refused to thoroughly modernise public transport. The result: a network plagued by delays, persistent unreliability and a gradual loss of users' trust.
Valérie De Bue says it bluntly: “Reforming is not attacking workers. Reforming means securing the future of an essential public service.”
Urgent solutions for users
Given the current situation, our MR group in the Walloon Parliament clearly demands:
- swift, concrete solutions for users, to immediately limit the human, social and economic impact of this strike;
- a swift agreement on the new public service contract, essential to give TEC its true value, improve its efficiency and restore the quality of service;
- determined, immediate progress towards a guaranteed minimum service, essential to protect citizens and restore their trust in public services.
Public transport is not a luxury: it is a right to mobility, employment and social life.
Guaranteed service: a matter of responsibility
The experience with the railways at federal level, driven by Minister François Bellot, shows that a guaranteed service is possible. This reform, courageous at the time, is now widely recognised as balanced because it protects both workers and users.
Wallonia must finally take this step. Refusing a minimum service means accepting that citizens are regularly held hostage.
A different vision of public service
Our group leader, Valérie De Bue, along with all Walloon MR parliamentarians, defends a clear vision of public transport:
- a reliable and high-performing service;
- respectful of both users and workers;
- managed with responsibility and transparency;
- capable of evolving without giving in to ideological deadlock.
As Valérie De Bue points out: “Wallonia deserves a public service that works every day. It deserves political courage, responsible reforms and public transport that truly lives up to citizens' expectations, especially the most vulnerable.”