The influx of inexperienced young people at ground handling companies at Schiphol is greater than in previous years. That is what the trade union FNV says to NH Nieuws. According to the union, the companies at Schiphol that check in passengers and load and unload planes far too often fill their rosters with new employees who are difficult to deploy, partly because they often do not yet have a driving licence. Experienced employees already sounded the alarm today about the use of trainees in workplaces where they are thrown into the deep end unaccompanied.
The staff also complain about the influx of new employees who are difficult to deploy. Employees of Viggo, Transavia’s handling company, tell NH Nieuws that their employer hardly looks at the quality of applicants and mainly wants to make a good impression by being able to demonstrate that the staff shortage is quickly suppressed.
A foreman of Viggo who wishes to remain anonymous (name known to the editors) that mainly students who want to earn extra pocket money are hired. The foreman, who is in charge of loading and unloading luggage, says he has little use for the young people, because they often do not have a driver’s license.
The driver’s license is necessary to drive the vehicles that take the suitcases from A to B, or for moving a power stowa car with a conveyor belt on it where the luggage is rolled in and out of the plane.
Extra work
This creates extra work for staff who can drive, but also delays baggage handling. As a result, suitcases sometimes wait for hours on the platform or baggage basement, with the result that flights are also delayed and travelers stand endlessly at the baggage belts.
Low wages
A supervisor from Viggo (name known to the editors) expresses his concern about the outflow of experienced employees. They are fed up with work pressure and low wages. He himself is tired of the work and has applied for a job at another company.
“Of course we also hire older employees”
Jaap de Bie, Schiphol campaign manager for FNV Aviation, is very concerned about the May and summer holidays. “The urgency of the companies and Schiphol is still lacking,” says De Bie. The union has been addressing the staff shortage at the ground handling companies since October, but sees little action at the airport and fears chaos and long queues in the coming holiday periods.
De Bie calls on airlines and handling companies to dig much deeper into their pockets for higher salaries and better working conditions.
Edwin van der Linden, head of human resources at Viggo, denies the claims of FNV and the employees: “We are currently hiring all suitable candidates, regardless of age. Sometimes these may be younger employees, for example students who want to stay with us after their internship work, but of course we also hire older employees.”
Safe and healthy workplace
Schiphol informs NH Nieuws that it advocates improving the employment conditions of ground handling employees and tries to help solve shortages.
“We think it is important that employees at Schiphol work in a safe, healthy working environment and that working conditions are improved. That is why we have developed the license to operate introduced on 1 January 2023, which applies to handlers. It contains working agreements and rules that contribute to, among other things, a safe and healthy workplace for all employees at Schiphol.”
Read also
