Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner is to ask cleaning sector unions and employers for an update on the long-running pay dispute in the sector and says he is ‘concerned’ about the vulnerability of contract cleaners, news agency ANP reports.

However, the minister told MPs on Thursday he could not intervene in the dispute, even though it centres on state-owned companies Dutch Rail and the Schiphol airport group.
Socialist, Labour and GroenLinks MPs had asked the minister and finance minister Jan Kees de Jager to use their influence to urge the NS and Schiphol to respect workers’ rights.
Cleaners have been taking industrial action for three weeks in support of their pay claim. But on Wednesday, it emerged that NS managers on some stations had been taking over cleaning duties and an email had been sent to all staff asking for volunteers to clean up platforms and trains.
NS and Schiphol cleaners are not employed by the organisations themselves, but work for commercial contractors.
The unions are demanding a 3% pay rise.