Trade union FNV is going to court on behalf of hundreds of suitcase carriers at Schiphol, because baggage and freight companies would have exposed employees to too much physical strain for years. According to the union, many employees suffer from back, shoulder, neck and knee complaints. More than 400 employees sounded the alarm at FNV.
FNV had started a special hotline to collect complaints about physically demanding work. These are employees who have been working at Schiphol for many years and who load and unload suitcases in the baggage basements or aircraft. “The complaints arose due to a combination of heavy work and enormous understaffing, resulting in great work pressure,” says FNV director David van de Geer.
Van De Geer: “For years, Schiphol has only been about unbridled growth, at all costs. Literally on the backs of these employees, costs went down and profits went up.”
FNV wants to hold the employers of the staff, the handling companies at Schiphol, liable. At Schiphol, a large proportion of employees work for companies hired by Schiphol or the airlines.
High chance of winning
The union thinks it has a good chance of winning a lawsuit. “It is clear that employers are negligent towards the employees, because they know that the work is too hard. The labor inspectorate also found this last year. It is then easier to convince the court that people’s complaints are due to the work at the airport,” said FNV lawyer Daphne van Doorn.