Belgium steeled itself for closed schools and disrupted train and air travel as three days of strikes kicked off Monday in protest at government austerity plans aimed at shrinking the national debt.

The movement is planned in three waves: trains and other public transport went on strike Monday, with national railroad company SNCB expecting to run one or two out of three trains. Several Eurostars linking Brussels to Paris were cancelled.

On Tuesday, public services such as schools, creches, and hospitals join the strike, and for Wednesday unions have called for a full general strike covering all categories.

No flights are expected Wednesday at the country's two main airports, Bruxelles-Zaventem and Charleroi.

- 'Contempt' -

The strike was called by the main Belgian unions who are in a

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