Netherlands
Public services union Abvakabo estimates that between 25,000 and 30,000 workers from FNV confederation trade unions joined a series of 65-minute demonstrations on 7 October. The unions were protesting about the failure to find an agreement in the Social and Economic Council on an alternative to the plans to increase the retirement age. FNV union leaders were due to meet to discuss what further action to take.
Read more at > Abvakabo (NL)
On Saturday 21 November thousands of people joined union-organised demonstrations in Rotterdam, Assen, Deventer and Eindhoven against the government’s proposals to increase the state pension age from 65 to 67. A survey commissioned by the FNV trade union confederation found three quarters of people opposed to the increase and wanting the unions to campaign to stop it. Read more at > Abvakabo
The SETCA/BBTK union organised three demonstrations on 28 October outside the headquarters of employer organisations in the non-profit health and social care sector. The union is protesting against the employers’ refusal to renew the agreement on early retirement. SETCA/BBTK points out that health and social care workers have very demanding careers and the early retirement provisions are crucial for the sector. [Read more at > SETCA (FR)->http://www.setca.org/News/Pages/ActionnonMarchand28102010Prepension.aspx] [And in Dutch at > BBTK->http://www.bbtk.org/nieuws/Pages
(July 2016) Firefighters have been mobilising around the country and in some regions taking industrial action to defend their right to early retirement. In some regions firefighters have been handing in petitions to local authorities while in addition some firefighters have been dealing with emergency calls only. Firefighters currently have early retirement rights between 55 and 59 and want to resist the demand by employers to move to 60. Read more at FNV (NL).
