The FNV trade union is threatening what it calls the biggest strike ever in the Dutch dairy industry. The union has issued an ultimatum to the employers’ organisation NZO regarding collective bargaining, which expires at 12 noon on Tuesday 26 May. The NZO has stated that it will not meet the demands.

Tensions in the sector have been mounting all week. Since Monday last week, the FNV has been staging industrial action outside the gates of major dairy companies such as FrieslandCampina, Lactalis Leerdammer, Ausnutria and DOC Kaas. A protest is planned for today outside the Danone factory in Haps.

According to FNV representative Edwin Martirosian, workers have had enough of the employers’ “inflexible stance”. He does not rule out the possibility that “what is likely to be the biggest strike in the history of the dairy industry” is imminent. “It’s a nuisance, but if it’s necessary to secure a decent collective agreement, then we will strike.”

He claims that managers receive substantial bonuses, whilst rank-and-file staff are not even left with a decent pay rise.

At the heart of the dispute are the wages and benefits for around 12,000 direct employees in the dairy industry, a sector that employs a total of 85,000 people.