KLM’s ground staff will leave work on Monday from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM because they want a higher salary. FNV announced this on Saturday evening. The trade union and the airline have been negotiating for months for a new collective labor agreement for ground staff, but cannot agree.
The FNV wants ground staff, which includes 15,000 employees, to increase by 4 percent a year. KLM launched a bid of 2 percent a year this week.
“Of course that doesn’t work. That’s why we are putting down the work now,” says Joost van Doesburg of FNV. “Ground staff ensure that holidaymakers can fly quickly and safely. Important work that deserves a good collective agreement,” says Van Doesburg.
FNV says that the nuisance for travelers is the responsibility of the KLM management. New promotions in the future are not excluded.
Work stoppage unnecessary
The work break by KLM ground staff is unnecessary because of the “wage proposal that KLM made to the unions last Thursday,” the airline said. The company is doing its utmost to limit passenger inconvenience. “We therefore ask our passengers to properly follow the information on the KLM website and the KLM app on Sunday evening and Monday.”
It is unclear how many passengers will be affected. KLM spokesperson does not want to specify the number of inbound and outbound flights KLM has planned in the hours involved.
