Baggage workers ready to file class action lawsuit against Schiphol Airport

The FNV labor union will move forward with a class-action lawsuit against the baggage handling businesses and cargo companies operating at Schiphol Airport. The union is alleging that the work has been far too physically demanding for years. FNV opened a hotline in September for workers to report specific complaints, and received over 400 individual complaints including from employees who load and unload suitcases in the baggage areas.

In addition to compensation, FNV said that it mainly wants the working process at Schiphol to change. "Because the physical strain is still too heavy," said FNV representative David van de Geer. In September, the Labor Inspectorate determined that employees of baggage and cargo handlers at the airport still are required to do a great deal of heavy lifting. Already 12 years ago, the baggage handlers, Schiphol and the Inspectorate agreed that employees would not have to continue to perform excessive heavy lifting work.

The union said it is now coordinating with the complainants, and making preparations for the legal case. It is not yet clear when the matter will go to court. "We will now first collect all the details about the complaints, which is a time-consuming job," said FNV lawyer Daphne van Doorn.

In the past six months, employees reported to the union with health complaints regarding the back, shoulders, neck and knees. "The complaints are caused by a combination of heavy work and enormous understaffing, resulting in a tremendous workload," said FNV.

At the beginning of this month, Schiphol Airport announced that it might be forced to again implement a limit to the maximum number of airline passengers allowed to depart during the busy May holidays and summer vacation periods. This is because there is still a significant shortage in the number of baggage handlers.