BRUSSELS—Around 70,000 Belgian workers marched through Brussels on Monday demanding government action to tackle sharply rising living costs, as one-day strikes at Brussels Airport and on local transport networks nationwide brought public travel to a near-halt.
Protesters carried flags and banners reading “More respect, higher wages” and “End excise duty,” while some set off flares. Some demanded the government do more, others said employers needed to improve pay and working conditions.
Unions said about 80,000 were present. Police put the figure at 70,000.
Brussels Airport said it could not allow passenger flights to depart because the industrial action extended to security personnel, and most arrivals were also cancelled….