Refuse collectors in Amsterdam to strike from Monday for a week

Refuse workers in Amsterdam will go on strike for a week from Monday, joining council workers in The Hague and other cities who have stopped working in support of their pay claim.

The strike will involve council gardeners and  pavement repair teams as well as rubbish collectors, and means underground containers will not be emptied for up to five days. A six day strike in Rotterdam started on Tuesday while in The Hague binmen downed tools on Monday.

The FNV trade union federation is calling for a 12% rise this year, a one-off bonus and an automatic rise in line with inflation in 2024. The employers have offered 5% this year and 3% in a year’s time.

The Dutch local authorities organisation VNG is currently working on a new offer which will be presented in a couple of weeks, news website Nu.nl reported.

The strike will also spread to Maastricht and Den Bosch once the Carvanal celebrations are over on Wednesday.

Amsterdam city council has urged residents to keep their waste at home if containers are full and not to dump it on the street, in an effort to keep pavements clear and rats at bay.