On March 31 (Monday), workers from both the public and private sectors held a 24-hour strike in protest against Belgium's new government budget cuts. The strike caused work stoppages in many regions of Belgium. Officials at the Antwerp-Bruges Port stated that the strike began on Sunday evening and was expected to continue until Tuesday, with a few days needed for full recovery.

The European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) announced that it would support the Belgian trade union federation, which led the call for the 24-hour nationwide strike. The union cited plans to cut pensions, labor market reforms, and reductions in the public service sector. The collective call from all groups was to maintain pensions and fair working conditions.

In its support statement, ETF said: “Transport workers are facing drastic budget cuts, job insecurity, and erosion of collective bargaining rights. At a time when Belgium should be investing in its workforce and public services, the government is moving the country in the wrong direction.”

The Antwerp-Bruges Port, which manages the country’s two busiest ports—Antwerp Port and Zeebrugge Port—reported "severe obstacles for ships." Over time, delays and a backlog of ships increased, and the latest report from Antwerp Port Authority stated that only about 10 ships were able to enter and exit Antwerp Port throughout the day on Monday. It added that the backlog had grown to around 50 ships, with three of Antwerp’s locks closed.

“The disruption will continue until tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. After that, we will assess how to quickly and safely clear the backlog. It is expected to take one to two days,” said Antwerp authorities in their latest update released Monday evening.

Zeebrugge reported a full blockage from 11 a.m. onwards, with the situation expected to last until 7 a.m. on Tuesday. No ferries entered or left the port on Monday afternoon. Earlier, Zeebrugge Port reported that before the end of the day, one ship left the port, two ships arrived, and 25 ships remained in the backlog, waiting for the port to resume operations.

The issues were not limited to seaports. Brussels Airport canceled all 244 departing flights on Monday and indicated that arriving flights might also be affected. Public services, including postal and waste disposal services, were reported to be at a standstill. Some schools were closed for the day, and most public transportation across the country was disrupted.

The government, which took office in February, proposed austerity measures for the country. This is the second round of strikes against comprehensive cuts across various sectors of the economy.