24-hour strike to paralyzes Belgium train traffic; services from London and Paris down
BRUSSELS - A 24-hour strike by Belgian rail workers paralyzed train traffic throughout Belgium and the international high-speed service to London and Paris.
The strike, which started late Tuesday, reached its peak during the Wednesday morning rush hour when tens of thousands of commuters had to take to traffic-choked highways to get into the capital or work.
Many workers had taken precautions and even though long traffic jams were reported early Wednesday, they were not as bad as initially feared.
Both Thalys and Eurostar cancelled services to the Belgian capital.
Rail workers are fearful their employment conditions will be undermined under a new plan to revamp and streamline the three companies currently overseeing train traffic in Belgium.
