Dutch civil servants will launch a nationwide strike on 14 April to protest against a government pay freeze. Trade unions confirmed that staff across the country will walk out. Furthermore, organisers have planned major rallies in cities including Groningen, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, and Amsterdam.
The impact of the pay freeze
These workers are campaigning against the “nullijn,” or zero-growth policy. Under this current rule, employees receive no salary increases or inflation adjustments this year. Consequently, unions argue that all 160,000 state employees face a significant drop in purchasing power.
Executive agencies feel the most pressure. Specifically, organisations like DUO, Rijkswaterstaat, and the Prison Service are struggling. These departments already face high workloads and staff shortages. The unions claim that stagnant wages make it harder to recruit new talent. Ultimately, this places public services under even greater strain.
Escalating industrial action
This is not the first time civil servants have taken action. Earlier this month, the FNV union organised a large rally in The Hague. Additionally, customs officers at Schiphol Airport and officials in the east of the country have previously walked off the job. Union leaders state that the government’s lack of response shows a “distressing lack of respect” for the people who keep the country running.
Previous strikes caused significant disruption. For example, some large slaughterhouses had to close because inspectors from the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) stopped working. Communication with many government departments also became difficult or impossible.
Future outlook and previous agreements
The strike involves four major unions: FNV, CNV, AC Rijksvakbonden, and CMHF Overheid. Although the full impact of the 14 April strike remains unclear, spokespeople expect more disruption than previous actions because all unions are participating together.
In contrast, the previous collective agreement in July 2024 provided an 8.5% pay rise and a monthly increase of 50 euros. However, that agreement must now cover the period until the end of 2025. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is expected to issue a formal response to the strike later today.
@ anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
