Never in the history of the port of Rotterdam has there been such a gigantic shortage of personnel. The shortage is so dire that the companies are losing turnover of many millions. This is evident from an inquiry from news hour among port operators.
The port of Rotterdam, which employs more than 380,000 people, now has more than 8,000 vacancies. Two-thirds of these are difficult to fill. This not only involves ‘handwork’, but also lawyers and civil engineers.
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On average, companies lose about 10 percent of their turnover. Steinweg Group, for logistics service, is one of the companies that is making less turnover due to the staff shortage. Because they often have to sell ‘no’, the loss is 15 to 20 million euros.
Fabian Dekker, of Erasmus University Rotterdam, is researching employment opportunities in the port of Rotterdam. He sees that despite the shortage, employers are critical of who they hire. “So many vacancies at every level and further on, 47,000 people are registered with the UWV in Rotterdam,” says Dekker, who conducted research among more than 120 port entrepreneurs. “The majority are not open to employees with a distance to the labor market.”
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Milko Oldenburg, operational director of the Steinweg Group, does not recognize that image. He takes on anyone who wants to and shows that he or she is willing to learn the trade. “You don’t need to have learned very long for harbor work,” says Oldenburg. “But it does require a certain discipline. And it’s not as physical as it was fifty years ago. Of course you need certain skills, but we can teach you a lot. So if you can come on time, make your own sandwiches and can tie your shoelaces, then we have a place for you.”
no vision
Ton Wilthagen, professor of the labor market, sees several reasons why filling vacancies is not easy. “The accessibility of the port, the physical work. Not everyone can do that. If the port does not reflect society, you don’t feel at home there. It is also an image problem.”
He sees a wrong approach. “The problem at Schiphol is also that the flex model has gone on for too long. That no longer works in times of shortage. That problem also exists at the port: if you keep calling and calling, you will not get there. .”
Wilthagen also lacks vision. “There is no coordination of politics in the face of shortages. You see what happens in the port in many other sectors. There is no quick fix† You have to turn all the buttons: migrants and people on welfare and young people. It’s just sad. We have a big problem, but without an explanation or vision.”
The port of Rotterdam is not the only sector that is having a hard time attracting enough people, notes Wilthagen. “The ‘shortage crisis’ is so serious that we will have to make choices. The state of emergency is hardly interpreted from politics, let alone coordination or coordination. There is no time to lose.”
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