Over a third of Schiphol security guards want a new job
Over a third of security workers at Schiphol Airport want to look for another job, De Telegraaf reports based on a survey by trade union CNV Vakmensen. They are struggling under the workload and aggression from passengers.
Schiphol is already facing a structural shortage of about 200 people in security. Departing passengers often have to queue for hours because there are not enough security workers to do passport and security checks. As a result, Schiphol has scaled down the number of passengers that can depart from the airport per day multiple times.
“We now see that the workload and aggression have increased enormously again because some of the security guards have already chosen another job. As a result, the work comes down to even fewer people, who then can no longer take it,” said Erik Maas of CNV Vakmensen. Only about 30 percent of security officers are happy with their jobs at Schiphol.
Over the summer, Schiphol managed to recruit more workers with a summer bonus. But when that bonus lapsed in September, and security workers saw their hourly workers fall significantly, many decided to find other, easier work. Over half of the security workers that CNV surveyed said the expiry of a summer bonus was why colleagues left the airport.
Trade union FNV suggested Schiphol implement another “big bonus” temporarily to quickly attract more security guards, but added that this wouldn’t fix the structural staff shortages at the airport. For that to happen, Schiphol must become a nice workplace, which means improving working conditions.
