Netherlands workers held most strikes last year since 1988

Last year, there were 33 labor strikes in the Netherlands - the highest number since 1988, when there were 38 strikes, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported. The number of workers participating in the strikes was lower last year than in 2021, so fewer work hours were lost.

Last year, 17,000 people participated in the 33 strikes. In 2021, there were 28,000 workers in 22 strikes, and in 2020 a massive 105,000 people held only nine strikes. As fewer workers went on strike last year, there were fewer lost working days in 2022 (39,400) than in 2021 (59,300) and 2020 (211,000).

Workers in the transport and storage sector were most dissatisfied with their work, holding 13 strikes. “These strikes also involved the most strikers (7,000) and caused the greatest loss of working days (23,000),” CBS said. The most visible strike in this sector was when KLM baggage handlers went on an unannounced strike at Schiphol on the first weekend of the May vacation, causing chaos at the Amsterdam airport.

There were also relatively many strikes in the industrial sector (12), in which 1,500 strikers accumulated 9,000 lost working days.

Trade unions declared 28 of the 33 strikes, and 25 strikes ended when trade unions and employers reached a collective labor agreement. Most strikes (20) were for a better collective labor agreement. Eight strikes were only for higher wages.

A survey by TNO and CBS showed that 77 percent of employees in the Netherlands were satisfied with their collective agreement last year, and 74 percent were happy with their salary.