Delays expected at Schiphol Airport due to customs strike on February 10

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has warned travellers to expect delays when moving through baggage claim on Tuesday, February 10, as customs officials will be on strike. 

Extra checks at Schiphol Airport on Tuesday

Between 12pm and 1.30pm on February 10, customs officials will carry out more thorough checks of travellers leaving baggage claim at Schiphol Airport. “Even travellers who would normally be able to proceed because they have nothing to declare will be screened,” trade union FNV said in a news release. 

The Dutch airport has warned passengers to expect extra waiting times and long lines at baggage halls three and four. Travellers are also asked to follow the instructions of Schiphol staff.

Customs officials strike in the Netherlands

Dutch customs officials are not only striking at Schiphol Airport on Tuesday but also at ports in Rotterdam and Vlissingen. The reason for the action is to draw the government’s attention to their wages.

The zero-line system implemented by the outgoing cabinet dictates that civil servants, including customs officials, will receive no salary increases or inflation adjustments this year. “As a result, they will lose purchasing power. The new coalition is maintaining this ill-advised cutback from the Schoof cabinet,” wrote FNV. 

The trade unions are emphasising that the strike is directed towards the national government, not the airport or passengers. "Customs officers are passionate about their work and about society. They prefer to do their work as efficiently and quietly as possible. But they are being pushed into a corner by the government.”

Workers at government agencies and public services have been protesting against the zero-line system for weeks, including staff at Dutch prisons and detention centres. The unions have warned that if the government continues with the cuts, the protests will intensify.