Street cleaners in The Hague can go ahead with their strike on Thursday and Friday, judges said on Wednesday afternoon.

The city council went to court in an effort to have the strike ruled illegal, saying there is a risk to public safety if the streets are not swept after Thursday’s traditional Queen’s Night concert.
Street cleaners are taking industrial action in support of their 1.5% pay rise claim. The council has offered a 1% of annual salary bonus instead of an increase.
The judge’s motivation will be published in a few days, a court spokesman said.
Safety
The city council told news agency ANP it is ‘disappointed’ by the court’s decision. Officials are to talk to representatives from the emergency services to work out how to ‘prevent unsafe situations developing,’ ANP said.
The judge’s ruling means that in The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht tonnes of rubbish left by Queen’s Day revellers will not be cleared up as quickly as is customary.
Amsterdam city council decided not to go to court after the unions agreed to restrict the strike to April 30th only. Rubbish collectors will start work in the early hours of Saturday morning in the capital.

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