Trade union for the port sector FNV Havens has announced members will strike at the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Friday 4 September between 11:15-19:00 in response to the Dutch government’s plans to cut social security by €6.5 billion. FNV Havens members at ports in Amsterdam, Vlissingen and Terneuzen will also take part, with other FNV departments including FNV Regional Transport, FNV Urban Transport and FNV Rail – including DB Cargo employees – striking on Wednesday 9 September.
As part of the strike, no ships will be handled, meaning loading, unloading, mooring, towing and cargo inspection activities will cease, and operations will face significant delays.
Asmae Hajjari, FNV Havens union official, comments: ‘We do not accept that security regarding unemployment or disability is sacrificed for other political choices. Social security is not the cabinet’s savings account. Employees and employers have paid premiums for this for years… I am thinking of young people who, even after years of work, have hardly any safety net if they lose their job through no fault of their own. And it poses significant risks for employees in sectors where employment is under pressure due to automation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence… You are undermining all the security of a decent social safety net. Employees must be able to rely on a social safety net when they lose their job or become incapacitated through no fault of their own… Whoever pays must also have a say. Only in this way can we prevent the workers’ safety net from being plundered again.’
