The police are planning to step up their actions in support of a pay claim by ‘isolating’ The Hague on September 16.

They will take strike action which will affect the whole of the country except The Hague on the day parliament discusses the annual budget, presented on September 15.

Unions are calling on police officers to assemble in The Hague for a mass demonstration which will ‘shut off the ministries from the outside world’.

In addition, the police plan to stop assisting in the deportation of illegal asylum seekers by refusing to provide the necessary case files and escort.

Cancellations

Earlier this month, a number of opening matches in the premier football league were cancelled because of police strikes.

The police have been offered a 5% pay increase and a one-off bonus payment of €500, but police unions say the deal is made up of a 2.28% rise over two years, plus 2.2% from changes to the pension policy which may affect eventual pension payouts.

Last week, home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk said there is no more money for pay increases in the public sector.