Dutch airline KLM is going to court in an effort to stop next week’s planned eight-hour strike by ground crew.

The FNV and CNV trade union federations have called on desk workers, baggage handlers and aviation-side staff to stop working from 6am to 2pm next Wednesday, as their campaign for a better pay deal continues.

The two unions want higher wages to keep pace with inflation and compensation for heavy workloads. They are demanding a 7% pay rise and a permanent early-retirement scheme for staff doing tough physical jobs.

Three other smaller unions have already accepted a wage increase of 2.25% over two years.

This Wednesday, a four-hour strike led KLM to cancel over 100 flights. Now the airline says the longer strike will have “serious consequences for safety at Schiphol airport, for our operations, passengers and other airlines.”

KLM has not gone to court to try to have previous shorter strikes stopped but did use the legal system to stop a 24-hour strike earlier this year. A subsequent eight-hour strike was also banned by the courts, given it was planned for the start of the busy summer season.

Haarlem district court will hear the case on Friday at 1pm and the judge is expected to announce the verdict immediately.