Two strikes are upcoming in the Netherlands, which will impact rail freight and broader logistics operations. On Wednesday 9 September, the rail sector will stop their activities. However, logistical disruptions will come as soon as 4 September, when another strike is set to take place.
The strikes aim to stop the national government from implementing cost-saving social security measures. Among the plans is a reduction in the maximum duration of unemployment benefits from two to one year.
Trade unions are preparing to strike in the coming days. On 9 September, the public transport and rail sector will refuse to work, says trade union FNV. This includes the infrastructure manager ProRail and DB Cargo. The organisers of the strike have called upon DB Cargo employees to keep in mind that colleagues may not work that day.
Ports go first on Friday
Before it is the rail sector’s turn to strike, the Dutch ports will do the same. Their protest is scheduled for Friday, 4 September. On that day, the ports will not handle ships between 11:15 and 19:00. This means that loading, unloading, mooring, towing, and freight inspections could experience significant delays.
The expectation is that a large part of the Rotterdam port will be paralysed on Friday. FNV called upon more than 50 companies to strike. These include container businesses, tank storage companies, bulk, general cargo and towing enterprises according to our sister publication NT.nl.
Why not go to the Hague?
Employers in the port have expressed surprise towards the plan to strike. They maintain that it would have been better to organise a protest at the government seat in the Hague, where policy is made.
“Our members in the port are deeply concerned about the economic damage caused by the strike”, employers’ association AWVN’s Director Lisette van Breugel is quoted as saying in NT. “It concerns a conflict between the cabinet and the trade unions — a political conflict in which the port companies have no part whatsoever.”
FNV argues that the strike is appropriate. Employees and employers alike pay for the social security benefits, so they both should take an interest in the proper functioning of the system, the trade union states.