Unions representing contract cleaners are to bypass the employers’ organisation OSB and appeal directly to companies themselves in an effort to end the impasse over sick pay, negotiator Ron Meyer told news agency ANP on Thursday.

Efforts to end months of strike action by workers in the cleaning sector failed on Wednesday night and union officials claim some companies, such as the NS and Schiphol airport are prepared to negotiate directly.
Employers have offered a 5% pay rise over two years, but the unions also want a new agreement on sick pay to ensure workers are paid for the first two days they are off ill.
Cleaners began taking industrial action at the beginning of the year. Their previous pay deal, which expired at the end of 2011, was finally sealed in April 2010 after nine weeks of strikes.