Substantial pay increase for Schiphol baggage staff

The baggage handlers at Schiphol are prepared to pay their staff significantly higher wages. In less than two years, employees can improve by an average of 33 percent. That is evident from it negotiation outcome that the FNV union announced.

If the union members agree, wages will increase by an average of 19 percent on January 1. A year later there will be another pay increase. Anyone who works full-time will receive at least 350 euros gross per month in two steps.

There has been a lot of ruckus at Schiphol in recent years. Due to poor working conditions, the baggage crew stopped work several times. This led to the first collective labor agreement in the sector last year. This was followed by a chaotic May holiday, partly due to a shortage of baggage staff. In the negotiations that followed, the staff received a summer bonus.

Yet the shadow of new actions hung almost constantly over the airport this year. Due to strong inflation, the union again demanded significant wage increases for the (sometimes too) heavy work. At the beginning of this month, the employers and the union met again at the negotiating table.

Union members can vote on the outcome next week.