Hundreds of layoffs, wage cuts expected at home care firm TSN

The largest home care organization in the Netherlands, TSN Care, is afraid it will have to cut 650 jobs as a result of reforms in the home-based healthcare sector, reports NOS. Under the new Social Support Act (WMO), municipalities have less money available for home care, with the service at risk of disappearing in some parts of the country. TSN Care calls the policy of Health Minister Martin van Rijn disastrous. “We are forced to lower salaries of 4,300 employees significantly,” TSN Care director, Zion Jongstra, is quoted saying. “In municipalities that completely abolish home care we have to unfortunately fire many people.” Jongstra thinks that van Rijn has to address the situation promptly. “There are municipalities that organize home care cleverly at the same time realizing the cuts. The Minister should use those municipalities as examples,” he commented. Trade union FNV wants the government to interfere with the situation. On May 1, the union plans to bring thousands of home care workers to protest in Amsterdam. Earlier this month, a study by NOS discovered that nurses encounter more elderly people who become lonely or experience problems with eating and drinking.