Fewer strikes in the Netherlands, most workers happy with their pay

Fewer than 19,000 days were lost through strike action in the Netherlands last year, the national statistics office CBS said on Monday. That is down 28,000, or over 60%, on 2015.

In total, there were two fewer strikes last year – taking the total to 25 – and the number of strikes lasting more than five days fell to 18. Strike figures were boosted in 2015 by the lengthy police campaign for higher pay.

Fifteen of last year’s strikes were campaigning for a better deal for workers faced with redundancy and just four focused solely on pay.

The statistics agency also quoted research showing that one in five Dutch workers is unhappy about their earnings The least happy are the police and fire service, where four in 10 say they do not earn enough.

Drivers, cleaners, hospitality industry and retail staff were also among the least satisfied with their income.