Too few security guards, long waiting times. Wouldn’t that only happen in the summer?
After enormous crowds in the spring, Schiphol announced a series of measures at the beginning of June. With a maximum number of passengers per day and a summer surcharge for staff, the crowds were limited for a long time, but on Monday morning the waiting time of three hours was back.
And that while Schiphol still has a maximum number of travelers per day, which is even lower in September and October than in summer. Around 2 pm Schiphol asked airlines to cancel flights that same day. That only happened in nineteen cases. It is unknown how many passengers missed their flight. Marnix Fruitema of the interest association for airlines Barin says he wants to recover the costs at Schiphol.
Today it is again busy at Schiphol, with waiting times of up to two hours. Minister Harbers of Infrastructure and Water Management calls the problems ‘a new low’. The ministry says it is in contact with Schiphol, but not to interfere with business operations. Harbers does want an evaluation to take place soon, he said in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The Dutch state owns almost 70 percent of Schiphol’s shares.
How can it be so busy all of a sudden?
The problem was with security on Monday: about eighty fewer security guards showed up than Schiphol had agreed with the companies that hire them. It is unclear why Schiphol was not aware of this earlier. “We have a lot of contact with security companies about the planning and are looking ahead for a longer period of time,” said an airport spokesperson.
‘Ad hoc there were fewer people, we don’t know why.’ The security companies that are active at Schiphol do not respond to a request for explanation. Umbrella organization the Dutch Safety Industry says it is not substantively aware of the problems at Schiphol.
According to FNV, the new staff shortage is because the summer bonus has expired. The union warned at the end of August that this would happen. In the summer months, security guards received 5.25 euros gross extra per hour, unions and Schiphol agreed in a social agreement in May. In September, there was also a surcharge of 1.40 euros per hour. The summer bonus no longer applies since this month, Schiphol will continue to pay the ‘labour market supplement’ of 1.40 euros until September 2023.
A Schiphol spokesperson thinks it is ‘too early’ to conclude that the lost summer bonus is the cause of the security guards’ absence. Today, FNV and Schiphol sat around the table to discuss the long-term plans from the social agreement. In addition, FNV emphasized that ‘major measures must be taken that have an immediate effect’.
More money, is that the solution?
‘Airports elsewhere in Europe faced similar problems, although they were less severe,’ says aviation representative Fruitema. ‘Strong, extreme measures are needed now. Wages or otherwise, that’s up to Schiphol.’
According to the trade unions, working conditions at Schiphol must be structurally improved. This involves significantly higher wages, less flexible schedules and more security in the form of permanent contracts. The rosters are especially important, says FNV.
Money is not the problem, said CEO Dick Benschop about Schiphol’s figures in the first half of the year. The airport made a profit of 65 million euros. ‘We recruited people hard, searched every nook and cranny of the labor market. But that’s the limiting factor, not the money.’
‘Money is not the solution’, thinks also professor of industrial relations Paul de Beer. However, according to him, Schiphol will have to ask itself why a problem that seemed to be solved has suddenly returned. ‘Remuneration can play a role in this, but the quality of work is just as important. Then you are talking about work pressure, working hours and autonomy, for example.’
Shouldn’t Schiphol take matters into its own hands again?
The social agreement that the trade unions concluded with Schiphol last May already provided an impetus for long-term solutions. A thorn in the side of the trade unions, for example, is that Schiphol outsources many services, such as security.
Stimulating competition between security companies has created a ‘race to the bottom’, says FNV. If it is up to the unions, security guards and cleaners will therefore be employed again at Schiphol, instead of at an external company.
Labor economist De Beer also thinks that would be a logical choice. ‘Flexibility also makes you vulnerable. Research shows that stability is the best way to absorb shocks. Then you have a loyal workforce that is willing to work more or less when needed. Working with subcontractors seems to be the cheapest in the short term, but in the long term you can get these kinds of problems.’
The FNV also thinks so: ‘The shortage of security guards was already about 200 and we see that it is increasing again by a few dozen.’