Security guards, cleaners, luggage porters and other employees of Schiphol receive a surcharge totaling hundreds of euros gross per month.
That is the outcome of negotiations between the airport and the trade unions FNV and CNV. Schiphol boss Dick Benschop already announced the agreement on Tuesday evening, prior to a hearing in the House of Representatives. Now the details are known. According to CNV negotiator Erik Maas, working at the airport can ‘become more fun again’ thanks to the agreements.
Anyone who has worked during the May holidays, or who works hours in June, July or August, will receive an additional €5.25 gross per hour. The summer allowance amounts to €840 gross per month worked full-time. The scheme applies to security guards, cleaners, escorts for disabled travelers, luggage porters, check-in staff and the drivers of the buses between the gates and the aircraft.
After 1 September, when the summer allowance has ended, the security guards, cleaners, supervisors and drivers will also receive €1.40 per hour for a year. Those who work full-time receive a Schiphol allowance of €224 gross per month. In addition, commuter traffic is fully reimbursed for everyone who comes to Schiphol by public transport.
Hourly wage
For an average suitcase porter, the summer allowance saves a sip on a drink. In the coming years, the hourly wage for that profession will go to €14, but most of them are still far below that. The average gross monthly wage is now €1943.
The talks between the unions and the airport did not go smoothly. At the beginning of May, FNV still threatened actions in the summer. “The time for asking kindly is over. We did that for three years. We will talk, an agreement will be reached and otherwise there will be work stoppages,” it sounded at the time.
Staff shortage
Schiphol sighs, before the worst crowds arrive, under a huge staff shortage: there are 500 vacancies in security alone. This already resulted in long queues during the May holidays, and the prospects for the summer are not much better. That has not been solved immediately with this agreement, CNV admits, but the agreements ‘give confidence and offer perspective’.
One of the agreements is that the Marechaussee will be deployed at peak times. “It will be really busy at Schiphol in the coming period, but the airport really seems to have the ambition to work in a different way and to take more responsibility for all those thousands of employees,” says Maas. He calls the agreement ‘groundbreaking’.
Both FNV and CNV will submit the agreement to the members with a positive advice. Schiphol pays the extra costs out of its own pocket. As a result, the profit for this year will be lower. Shareholders such as the Dutch State and the municipalities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam are therefore expected to receive less dividend. Airlines do not have to pay for the higher costs.