Schiphol to fight security strike in court

Schiphol will try to stop a security guard strike at the airport next week Tuesday in court "We want to do everything possible to ensure that passengers do not suffer", a spokesperson for the airport said to RTL Nieuws.

Security guards plan to strike for 24 hours on Tuesday, September 4th. The strike would affect some 200 thousand travelers. "Everyone who flies has to go through the security check. If that is not possible, you can't fly", the Schiphol spokesperson said.

Around 4 thousand security personnel work at Schiphol. They are separate from the Konlinklijke Marechaussee, a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border security.

The trade unions announced the strike at Schiphhol last week, to give the airport time to make alternative arrangements. According to union FNV, the strike will happen as planned on Tuesday. "Travelers who want to leave on Tuesday will have to go a day earlier or a day later, or find another alternative", a spokesperson said to the broadcaster. "Incoming flights and travelers who are passing through will be spared."

Security workers across the country have been performing labor actions for weeks, including at Schiphol, at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, at the Ministry of Defense in The Hague, at MSD in Oss and at UMC Maastricht. They demand a pay rise of 3 percent, more favorable schedules and more job security. The unions want the wage increase to be implemented this year, but employers are only offering a salary increase for next year, according to RTL. This collective bargaining agreement will cover some 31 thousand security workers.