Schiphol employees worried about workload, safety: trade union

Concerns among Schiphol employees about the workload and the safety of staff and passengers have only increased since the start of this year. Trade union FNV reached this conclusion in a poll of 664 people who work at the airport.

“The fact that the concerns have increased does not bode well,” said Joost van Doesburg, FNV’s campaign manager at Schiphol. According to the poll, 95 percent of employees are worried about the high workload, 83 percent about the high absenteeism, and 72 percent about the safety risks for staff.

In addition, 80 percent predict persistent delays, problems with baggage, and long queues. “The results show that the measures announced by Schiphol have not yet sufficiently allayed employees’ concerns,” said Van Doesburg.

The survey also shows that there are not enough people to do the work in a safe and responsible manner. “It is also worrying that 42 percent are concerned about the safety of passengers and flights,” said Van Doesburg. These safety concerns are most significant among employees who have direct contact with passengers.

FNV believes that if Schiphol remains chaotic, the airport will have to cancel even more flights soon. “The safety and health of employees and travelers should always be number one.”