Strike at Mentos confectionery factory for higher wages starting from Sunday

Employees at Perfetti Van Melle confectionery factory in Breda, known for Mentos and other products, will go on strike starting Sunday evening. According to the FNV trade union, this marks the beginning of a relay strike across the Dutch confectionery industry.

The union issued an ultimatum to employers in the sector, demanding a significant wage increase due to high inflation, but their response was unsatisfactory. "Our ultimatum was clear and logical, as 80 percent of our members do not agree with the employer's final offer. This is why employees are now taking action to show that they are serious about it,” said FNV executive Eric Brouwer. "There is only a collective agreement with other unions, but the largest union in the Netherlands remains excluded," he stressed.

Around 600 people are employed at Perfetti Van Melle, and Brouwer said he hopes that about 200 will participate in the strike, which is expected to last three days. The impact of the strike is uncertain at this point.

Following this action, another strike is planned at a different biscuit or confectionery factory. Approximately 11,000 individuals working in nearly 200 companies fall under the confectionery collective labor agreement, including employees at companies like Mars and Verkade.