People celebrating Queen’s Day in the Dutch capital should take their own rubbish home with them, acting mayor Lodewijk Asscher says, in response to the decision of the city’s rubbish collectors to strike on April 30.

But the city council has decided not to go to court in an effort to have the one-day strike ruled illegal, because the unions are taking steps to minimise the risks to public health and safety, the Telegraaf reports.
The unions are striking in support of a 1.5% pay rise.
Some 500,000 people spend Queen’s Day in the capital. ‘ It’s a great party every year and can be so again this year if everyone behaves as you would if you had a party at home,’ Asscher said. ‘At that means this year that if you do no manage to sell your grandmother’s old sofa, you take it home again and try again next year.’
The city’s cleaning service is also planning to strike for a week from May 6, which will disrupt the launch of the Giro d’Italia cycle race.
The Hague
The Hague city council is going to court on Tuesday afternoon in an effort to have the planned strike by street sweepers ruled illegal. The council is concerned about the danger posed by rubbish and broken glass left by the 200,000 revelers who are expected to celebrate Queen’s Night, on April 29.
In Utrecht, the city cleaning department will go on strike for five days from May 1.
Meanwhile, the local councils’ association has invited the civil service unions for talks this week on a new pay deal. The councils want to freeze wages but have offered a 1% of salary one-off payout.

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