“Almost all public pharmacies” across the Netherlands have closed their doors today (November 12) as part of a national strike, Dutch trade union Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) said.
The national strike was announced by FNV and Christian trade union Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond (CNV) following months of regional strikes to “enforce a better collective labour agreement for pharmacy employees”, CNV added.
The trade unions are demanding a retroactive 6% wage increase from July 1 and an increase in the minimum wage to €16 an hour.
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“For the first time in history, all pharmacies in the Netherlands will go on strike,” CNV said, calling on “all pharmacy employees” to gather in The Hague today.
CNV is also calling for “difficult to deliver” medicines to be made more readily available to avoid patients “[reacting] aggressively”.
FNV told C+D that almost 10,000 pharmacy staff were present in The Hague today.
“No pharmacies left”
FNV director Ralph Smeets said that pharmacy workers had been “protesting for higher wages and a reduction in work pressure” for three months in regional strikes in 11 out of 12 Dutch provinces.
Today’s national action was necessary to “make [pharmacy employee’s] voices heard”, he added.
“It is the first time that such a massive protest has taken place in the pharmacy sector,” Smeets said, adding that it shows “how serious the situation is”.
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In a joint statement from Smeets and CNV director Albert Spieseke, they stressed that “taking action is necessary” but acknowledged that it would impact patients.
“Without structural improvements, healthcare is in danger and soon there may be no pharmacies left”, they said.
“Shooting themselves in the foot”
Spieseke said that pharmacy employees “do not receive the appreciation they deserve” and questioned why “people do such responsible work if the pay is so bad”.
“Pharmacists are shooting themselves in the foot,” he added.
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It comes as the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has balloted its members for the first time on work to rule action.
The ballot was open for six weeks from September 23 until the end of last week and results are due to be released shortly.