Belgian bosses attack pay

The Belgian employers' association, the FEB, has set out a 10-point series of measures in preparation for negotiations on the 2005-2006 national pay set to be concluded by the end of the year.

One of its key proposals is that the current legislation, which already allows the government to limit future pay increases to maintain competitiveness with Belgium's neighbours, should be amended to allow past pay increases to be taken into account.

The FGTB, the second largest union confederation, called the proposals "lamentable and unacceptable".