24 hours security strike at Schiphol airport

Update: the strike has been cancelled

If you happen to be coming back from or going on holiday on September 4, you may want to consider re-booking your tickets for a different day, as those who work in security are planning to strike all day.

Airport strikes across the country

The labour unions FNV Beveiliging and CNV Vakmensen have announced a 24-hour strike by security employees at Schiphol airport on September 4. However, this is not the only location where strikes will take place. Additional strike locations are yet to be disclosed.

According to Schiphol, the proposed strike will affect more than 200.000 travellers. It is due to the large number of travellers who will be affected that the airport has been notified of the upcoming strike.

Should no agreement be reached between the unions and employers regarding the collective labour agreement and the strike goes ahead, passengers now have the opportunity to be informed on time and flights to be changed or cancelled.

Dutch unions issue an ultimatum

On June 30, the unions FNV and CNV issued an ultimatum. They wanted schedules to be altered in order to lower work pressure, and a pay rise of 3 percent, amongst other things. Employers were willing to offer a salary increase, but only starting 2019.

For the past six weeks, security personnel across the country have been holding brief work stoppages in protest of a better collective labour agreement. Work stoppages have been held at the VU Amsterdam and the Ministry of Defence, amongst other places. At Schiphol, security personnel have been holding stoppages of 15 minutes, five times a day.

Around 31.000 people work under the Private Security collective labour agreement. Schiphol hopes that an agreement will be made between the unions and employees before the proposed strike on September 4.