70,000 Belgian workers march through Brussels against sharp rise in cost-of-living

Demanding government action to tackle sharply rising living costs, approximately 70,000 Belgian workers marched through Brussels on Monday to push for higher salaries.

Setting off flares, protesters carried flags and banners reading "More respect, higher wages" and "End excise duty".

It comes after one-day strikes at Brussels Airport and on local transport networks nationwide brought public travel to a near-halt.

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Due to the extension of the industrial action to security personnel, Brussels Airport said it could not allow passenger flights to depart. As a result, most arrivals were also cancelled.

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Though some train lines were operating, partly to allow protesters to converge on the capital, local public transport operators were running skeleton services.

Mirroring sharp rises elsewhere driven primarily by the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on supply chains and energy and commodity prices, Belgian inflation hit 9 per cent in June.

As wages were indexed to inflation, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Belgian workers were better protected than counterparts in most other European Union countries.

Until the end of the year, the government had extended sales tax breaks on gas, electricity and fuel, De Croo told public broadcaster RTBF.

With pilots and cabin crew of Brussels Airlines planning a June 23-25 strike over working conditions, further travel disruption is expected later this week.

(With inputs from agencies)

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