In 2011 there were 17 strikes in the Netherlands, resulting in a loss of 22 thousand working days, a relatively small number compared to previous years. However, just over half of the working days lost were due to short term actions, the highest proportion in a decade, according to Statistics Netherlands.
Six of the 17 strikes which took place last year were short actions lasting less than one day, such as extended lunch breaks or picketing protests, causing 11 thousand working days to be lost. Meanwhile, the number of working days lost due to strikes over the last five years was highest in 2008, when over 120 thousand days were lost, mostly due to strikes within the transport sector.
Last year the highest proportion of working days were lost within the transport and storage sector, where 4 strike actions, mainly in public transportation in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague led to a loss of 8 thousand working days, more than one third of the total working days lost.
The second highest percentage of working days were lost within the manufacturing industry sector, amounting to 6 thousand working days.
Trade unions called 14 of the 17 strike actions, accounting for almost all strike days, and the highest number of actions were called in opposition to projected government cutbacks.