Bpost Workers Strike in Liège and Seraing Amid Tensions

Postal workers at Bpost in the Belgian cities of Liège and Seraing walked off the job on Friday, disrupting mail and parcel delivery in the Wallonia region just one day after management and unions concluded a new collective labour agreement. The strike, involving approximately 58 workers in Liège and 15 in Seraing, underscores deep and persistent tensions over the company’s transformation plan, which shifts delivery routes to later hours.

Context: A Fragile Agreement

On Thursday evening, May 28, Bpost management and unions reached a new collective labour agreement (CCT) for 2026-2027 after a month of negotiations, as reported by RTBF. The agreement shifts delivery start times by one hour and 45 minutes later — reduced from an initially proposed two hours — with possibilities for local variations. Bpost CEO Chris Peeters welcomed the deal, stating: “This CCT brings clarity and guarantees, both for our employees and for the company. We listened to the concerns of our employees and agreed to many advances, such as the increase in meal vouchers.”

However, the agreement was far from unanimous. Only two unions — SLFP/VSOA and ACOD — approved the CCT. The larger Christian union CSC Transcom and the socialist CGSP refused to endorse it, with Thierry Tasset of CGSP Poste calling it a “denial of democracy” given that a majority of workers opposed the plan.

The Strike Action

On Friday morning, postal workers in Liège and Seraing set up a picket line at the Seraing distribution centre, effectively blocking letter and parcel distribution in the region, according to RTBF. Bpost spokesperson Mathieu Goedefroy confirmed that all other Bpost employees returned to work normally, with the exception of the Liège and Seraing depots. Local management is currently in talks with staff to resolve the situation, and customers are advised to track their parcels via the Bpost application.

Michel Mazy, permanent secretary of CSC Transcom, said: “The fundamental concerns of workers remain largely ignored. We did not validate this collective agreement, just like other union organizations. The unease expressed this Friday reflects the deep lack of support from staff for this reorganization.”

Background: A History of Conflict

The strike is the latest chapter in a protracted labour dispute at Bpost. In late March 2026, the company announced a transformation plan shifting delivery routes to later hours to adapt to the growing e-commerce parcel market. The plan triggered a six-week strike that paralysed operations. At its peak, 10 million letters and hundreds of thousands of parcels remained undelivered, as reported by RTBF.

The financial toll has been significant. Bnode, Bpost’s parent company, estimated the earlier strike cost approximately €15 million in lost earnings. The company also lost an estimated 3.2 million parcels to competitors during the disruption.

Analysis: A Deepening Divide

The refusal of the two largest unions to endorse the CCT — despite management’s concessions — highlights the fragile nature of the agreement. Stéphane Daussaint of the CSC warned that the transformation plan shows “little regard for workers’ health,” noting that “with such measures, the two largest vehicle fleets in Belgium will be on the roads during peak hours.” He added that “the majority of postal workers are convinced this plan is unrealistic and not operationally sound.”

Luc Tegethoff of SLFP Poste, one of the unions that did approve the CCT, nevertheless acknowledged the precarious situation: “I am no longer in a position to guarantee social peace.”

The conflict at Bpost reflects broader tensions across the European postal sector, where traditional mail volumes are declining and companies are racing to adapt to the parcel delivery market. Similar disputes have occurred at PostNL in the Netherlands and La Poste in France.

What’s Next

Local negotiations in Liège and Seraing are ongoing, but the fundamental issues remain unresolved. The CSC and CGSP have signalled they will continue to contest the transformation plan, raising the possibility of further labour action across other Bpost distribution centres. The Belgian government, as a major shareholder in Bpost, may face pressure to intervene if the situation escalates further.

For now, residents and businesses in Liège and Seraing face disrupted mail and parcel delivery, with no immediate resolution in sight.