Vocational teachers on strike nationwide

Hundreds of teachers and staff in intermediate vocational education institutions are going on strike Thursday. They are demanding a better collective labour agreement, and also claim work pressure is too high. The day before the strike, 2200 workers said they were going to participate in the action. The gathering will be held in the Muziekgebouw on the Ij in Amsterdam on Thursday afternoon. A big reason for the strike is the failed talks between the employers organization MBO Raad about collective labour agreement. Unions are in disagreement with MBO Raad because the latter did not agree to the union demands about the new labour agreement. According to the unions, the current offer from the MBO Raad is "a deterioration in many respects." Hundreds of people within vocational education participated in a strike in Groningen and Rotterdam over the last few months. The actions were organized by unions, General Education Union (AOb, CNV Onderwijks, Abvakabo FNV and FvOV. More strikes will follow, the unions warned, if the MBO Raad remains unwilling to consent to the demands.