Trade union FNV Young & United and student union LSVb are going to court to force the municipality of Groningen to also give the energy allowance for people with a low income to students. They are thus responding to a statement by alderman Eelco Eikenaar that he will continue to exclude students. The unions want the judge Eikenaar to whistle back.
The court in Arnhem previously ruled that Nijmegen may not exclude students from the energy allowance. According to the judge, that student city thus made an “unjustifiable distinction”.
Eikenaar stated last week that Groningen cannot afford to give all students the allowance. There is also not enough manpower to handle all additional applications. According to the alderman, the government must come up with more money to be able to give students the allowance as well. He had already made that call together with the poverty aldermen of thirteen other student cities.
Call
FNV and the LSVb are now calling on Groningen students who did not receive the allowance from the municipality to report. The case can then be brought on their behalf. The unions want to start business in several cities, Groningen is the first.
Everyone in the Netherlands with a low income received extra money this year because of the sharp rise in energy prices. Minister Carola Schouten of Poverty Reduction advised municipalities not to give students the supplement of 800 euros, but to help them through ‘individual special assistance’. That would be appropriate because many students still live at home and some others pay for energy through the rent.
Concept
FNV and the LSVb understand this in themselves. Ultimately, they want the Empire to step in. “There really needs to be extra money from The Hague, only in this way can municipalities actually grant our applications. It is outrageous that students are still excluded. Students are simply screwed,” says LSVb chairman Joram van Velzen.
Incidentally, the unions will discuss the energy surcharge with Minister Schouten and Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf of Education next week. LSVb chairman Van Velzen says that the unions find it important “to keep the pressure high”, which is why they are now coming up with a lawsuit.