This coming Tuesday (March 3), civil servants across the Netherlands will strike for 24 hours, protesting a pay freeze that is leaving more than 165,000 government workers worse off.
If you need to call the tax office or deal with DUO, plan ahead.
The action is the latest escalation in a collective bargaining dispute (cao-conflict) that has been simmering for months.
Earlier protests have already seen customs officers at Schiphol Airport take action, and civil servants in the east of the country have previously gone on strike.
Tuesday’s nationwide walkout is the next step — and it’s a big one.
Which government services will be affected?
Two agencies that internationals regularly rely on will take a direct hit.
DUO — the agency that handles student loans and education benefits — will be less accessible or potentially unreachable on Tuesday.
Although the Belastingdienst (tax office) will still keep its helpline running, waiting times are expected to be longer than usual. You can check current wait times on the Belastingdienst’s website during the day.
The timing is particularly awkward: the tax filing season (aangifteperiode) opens this Sunday, March 1, meaning the phones were already going to be busy.
If you have an in-person appointment at a tax office, it may be cancelled — in which case you’ll be offered the option to reschedule or switch to a phone or video call instead.
Why are they striking?
This year, civil servants will receive no pay rise and no inflation correction — meaning that in real terms, every government worker is taking home less than before.
For context, the previous cao — which covered July 2024 through to the end of 2025 — gave civil servants an 8.5% pay rise, an extra €50 per month, and a one-time inflation compensation payment.
The current freeze, however, means all of that momentum has come to a halt.
Trade union FNV argues this is simply unacceptable for the people who keep the country functioning.
Speaking with NU.nl, FNV official Marcelle Buitendam puts it plainly: “Civil servants are the people who keep the Netherlands running every day.”
After all, these are the people who ensure safe roads, guard prisons, control borders, and process benefits, allowances, and permits — and this is what they get in return.
Buitendam (along with the rest of the strikers) is calling on the new cabinet to come forward with a proper wage offer, and has warned that if the government remains unyielding, further action will follow.
What should you do?
If you were planning to call the Belastingdienst on Tuesday, it’s worth trying before or after the strike day.
Keep an eye on the tax office website for live waiting time updates if you do call. If you have an appointment that gets cancelled, expect to hear from them about rescheduling options.
Do you think the government should be offering civil servants a pay rise? Let us know what you think in the comments below.