Utrecht is filling with rubbish while cleaners strike (and more cities want to join)

Another day, another strike. Instead of transport workers, from January 31 to February 6, Utrecht’s garbage collectors have launched a week-long strike, to demand higher wages.

And the results aren’t pretty — however, they most certainly are stinky. The city is starting to look like a sea of garbage bags which won’t be cleared for another three days.

Other cities to follow 

Utrechts city cleaners aren’t the only ones dissatisfied with their pay, soon workers in The Hague, Betuwe, Drechtseden, and Emmen will strike, too, reports NU.nl.

The Hague Street Organisation will strike from February 13 for three days. What does this mean? The political capital’s streets will not be kept clean and street maintenance will come to a halt.

It looks like we’re about to have a stinky Valentine’s day. 🤮

Why are they striking? 

Much like many workers throughout the Netherlands, garbage collectors would like an increase in their salary to compensate for the rising energy costs.

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As a result, there have been ongoing negotiations between trade unions and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) to talk about increasing workers’ wages.

READ MORE | 14 dang smart ways to save on energy costs in the Netherlands [UPDATED 2023]

However, nothing has changed so far. Why? It’s a tale as old as time, the two parties can’t come to an agreement, specifically, about how much to increase the wage for 187,000 public servants. 

Let’s hope they’re not squabbling like seagulls over which garbage bags to attack. 

Will you be keeping your garbage bags in this week? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Eva Gabriella
Eva Gabriella
After calling Malaysia her home for 19 years, Eva moved to Amsterdam to study literary and cultural analysis. Well, that was the academic theory — in reality it was more like “cultural shock.” Eva’s mastery of life in the Netherlands involved initiation into the richness of nocturnal hangouts, canals, cuisine, and upright and forthright cyclists (who she now rings her bell back at.) When she is not speeding her way through books, she is winding and weaving down endless straatjes, often finding herself, not so quite by chance, in a gezellig music bar!

1 COMMENT

  1. When public service workers strike they should be fired and prohibited from rehiring, just like Ronald Reagan did with Air Traffic Controllers. Unions are nothing but the “advance guard” of Communists seeking government control of society. Every Communist and Socialist country came to power with the backing of unions! There are no exceptions. None.

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