Strike Metal Workers

Over 1750 metal workers from the regions of Rotterdam and Eindhoven are striking on Friday. It includes employees of DAF, VDL Nedcar, Heerema, Damen and IHC Merwede. The action is the first in a series.

The unions FNV Metal and CNV Professionals want to express their dissatisfaction about the stalled collective bargaining in the metalworking and metalektro. The metal workers demands include wage increases and the possibility of a four-day week. In June 2500 people already campaigned for this

"Employees do not just lay down their work. They are tired of increasing unilateral deterioration which employers push through and they want to keep control over their working time. After years of decline in purchasing power, a normal wage is desperately needed. There is room for that within the metal sector," says the union FNV.

Employers Association FME-CWM finds the strikes irresponsible. "The unions do not recognize the economic situation. One third of the companies in the sector is currently not financially healthy."

In the Dutch metal sector work around 475,000 people.