More strikes but fewer strikers in 2022

In 2020, the year in which measures against coronavirus were introduced, there were 9 labour strikes. After this, the number increased to 33 strikes in 2022. The last time there were relatively more strikes was in 1988 (38 strikes).

Strikes scattered throughout the year

Most of the strikes last year (13) took place partly or entirely in the second quarter. Four took place in the third quarter.

28 out of the 33 strikes were called by a trade union. 25 strikes were ended by an agreement after negotiations involving a trade union.

Most strikers working in transportation and storage

The sector with the highest number of strikes was transportation and storage (13 times). These also involved the highest number of strikers (7 thousand) and the strikes led to the highest loss of working days (23 thousand).

The manufacturing sector saw relatively many strikes as well (12). These resulted in 9 thousand lost working days and involved 1.5 thousand strikers.

Information and communication workers least satisfied with CLA

In the majority of cases (20), the reason to strike was dissatisfaction with the collective labour agreement as a whole. For 8 strikes, the only reason were the wages. Workers have been asked to rate their satisfaction with their company’s collective agreement and salary as part of the Working Conditions Survey (NEA), conducted by CBS and TNO. This showed that, in 2022, 77 percent of all workers were (very) satisfied with their employer’s collective agreement. 74 percent of the employees were satisfied or very satisfied with their pay.

Workers (both 88 percent) were most likely to be (very) satisfied with the collective agreement in education and public administration. Least satisfied were workers in the information and communication sector, at 66 percent. Employees of financial institutions (88 percent) were most likely to be satisfied with their pay. Least satisified with pay were workers in the care sector (66 percent).