Context: ATC on strike due to a social agreement that has been signed by management with a single union ( only representing atco's) after extensive negotiations. The 2 biggest unions ( representing most other atco's) refused the proposal, but since in Belgium only one union needs to agree in order to have an agreement be made, it will take effect in the near future. There are a lot of topics atco's disagree on with management, none of which are wage-related, but the most important topic is how the understaffing in ACC will be handled moving forward. A lot of ACC controllers have been working many shifts in a row on average ( reports indicate somewhere between 7-10 shifts in a row with a maximum of 11) followed by a day of rest, to then restart a new series of shifts. It's a very fatigue inducing situation but with the new agreement ATC fears this situation will get worse. One of the priviliges atc still had over there was a thing called 1 night shift counts as 2 worked shifts, a night shift that takes 10 hours will count as 2 shifts to secure the mandatory rest day after your nightshift, without it being an 'official' day of rest. The new agreement reduces a night shift from 10 to 8 hours but counts as a single worked shift where you need 14 hours after the shift has ended to start a new one. The big change here is that the day after your night shift no longer counts as a worked day, but as a mandatory rest day. What ATC fears is their series of 9 shifts in a row will now always end in a night shift, and your mandatory day off before starting a new series of shifts will now be the day followed by a night shift, which you mostly use for catching up your sleep time.