JUNE 2022 | 5
NATIONAL
Shortage of staff spells chaos at Schiphol Airport ‘Dear passengers, please fasten your seat belts as we are ready for departure.’ Many travelers did not get a chance to hear these famous words, as their flights were canceled due to the unannounced strike by KLM baggage and freight personnel at Schiphol airport on 23 April. The strike was a result of staff shortages creating chaos and delays at one of the busiest airports in the world.
Into the second week of the May school holiday, the long queues and large crowds at the airport continued, resulting in significant delays for travelers. The strike on 23 April started when ground staff, responsible for loading and unloading planes and bringing luggage to the baggage belts, received an email stating that their work would be partially outsourced to another handling agent. This was the last straw in an ongoing conflict between Schiphol and the ground staff over low pay, poor working conditions and no permanent contracts. According to KLM, labour shortages and a high levels of callouts are the reasons for its decision to outsource. The strike has now ended and unions are making endeavours to reach an agreement with KLM management. With the airport still suffering from staff shortages, the airport authority has called on various airlines to cancel flights in order to control the situation and prevent excessive crowds. Agreeing to the suggestion, KLM canceled
more than 40 fights, while other airlines such as Tui, Transavia and Corendon rerouted flights to other airports in the Netherlands. These initiatives act as a breather for the country’s largest airport, but the number of flight diversions is limited by various factors, including rules about noise pollution.
Despite the schedule changes, Schiphol has warned people to expect waiting times longer than usual, especially at the security check: due to staff shortage, only eight out of fourteen lanes are open on the busiest days of the year. Journalist Molly Quell from DutchNews shared her traveling experience: it took her 2 hours and 40 minutes to get through security, with the queue starting outside the terminal building. Flight cancellations just lead to more problems: many travelers are demanding a refund for Schiphol pouring cold water on their travel plans. Since the strike, over 1600 claims for damages, worth 1.3 million euros, have been received. The authorities believe this is the tip of the iceberg, as many more claims will be reported once travelers return from holiday. Mark Harbers, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, sees the problems at Schiphol as a serious issue, caused by staff shortage. This is in fact a common problem that is prevalent beyond the aviation sector and is not easily solved by throwing more money at
it. The Netherlands is experiencing staff scarcity in all sectors, with technology and IT, construction, teaching, healthcare, production and logistics being the worst hit. Adding fuel to the fire, a recent study revealed that 40% of staff in the logistics, retail, hospitality and healthcare sectors are considering quitting their jobs because they can’t get a permanent contract and are unhappy with their pay. Staff shortage is becoming a grave concern in the Netherlands. A record number of vacancies was reported last year: According to the Dutch Statistics Office (CBS), there were 105 vacancies per 100 unemployed. All these numbers are worrisome and
need to be tackled. There are many reasons for staffing issues, such as the prospering economy, changing industries, an aging population and overwhelmed staff. Experts believe that by emphasizing the value and importance of employees, planning for long-term recruiting and hiring, training current staff and utilizing automation, the issue can be addressed efficiently. Overcoming staff shortages is dependent on how companies treat and support their workers. Supporting staff is the key – all above-mentioned paths lead loyal staff, which in turn guarantees the country’s prosperity and development. Written by Parul Sachdeva
Lack of trust in the rule of law grows in the Netherlands
At least one-third of Dutch citizens believe the government would be justified in violating democratic norms to resolve pressing issues such as the climate crisis and housing shortage, according to a new report by the Verwey-Jonker Institute on a study into illiberalism in the Netherlands. Distrust in the government is not a new phenomenon in the Netherlands, but the trend appears to have been fueled by the Covid crisis and is particularly strong among those between 18 and 24 years old. Dutch citizens of all stripes appear to have illiberal tendencies. The study found no difference between progressive and conservative voters when it came to willingness to violate constitutional norms to solve complex social problems. Level of education completed doesn’t appear to impact the trend, with equal numbers of university and technical school graduates expressing opinions supportive of setting aside the rule of law. “While people think parliamentary democracy is the best form
THT4_2022 _CS.indd 5
of government, we also feel that politics is incapable of solving complex problems. As soon as we become very concerned about something, a fairly large group says that a strong leader is needed. Then we tend to embrace less liberal forms of government,” according to Ron van Wonderen, researcher at the Verwey-Jonker Institute and author of the report.
outside the rule of law. And something like the childcare benefit affair – a government that really does not uphold citizens’ fundamental rights, that has really knocked down confidence,” says Barbara Oomen, Professor of Sociology at Utrecht University. “The core of the rule of law is that the elected government must also comply with the law, and with fundamental rights,” she says.
The majority of Dutch citizens, over 90%, identify as having high confidence in the rule of law as a theoretical concept. Yet, 37% of the respondents in the study believe that “the government should do what the majority of the population wants, even if there are laws that prohibit it.” Over a third agreed with the statement “social problems should be solved quickly and efficiently, even if that means less attention is paid to the viewpoints and interests of different groups.”
The move towards illiberalism is a global trend, as nations across the globe, including the United States, Hungary and France, struggle with a rise in rejection of democratic norms. “You see it in other countries too. Look at how many voters in France voted for Le Pen, look at the unrest in Washington after the presidential election. Due to the increasing polarization, we are more and more inclined to move the pillars that uphold our rule of law,” says Leopold.
A substantial minority of the respondents, 35 %, believe the government should be able to ignore opposition parties in parliament when addressing major national issues such as immigration and the housing crisis. At least 20% of the population believes the cabinet should ignore both parliamentary opposition and judicial orders when these constitutional constraints make it difficult for the government to address pressing national issues efficiently. “To say that the opinion of others is less important, that judges or the opposition should sometimes be brushed aside, constitutes a serious rot in the pillars of our democracy,” says Ronald Leopold, director of the Anne Frank Foundation. This increase in distrust in the government has not occurred in a vacuum. Scholars identify the Dutch government’s repeated violation of democratic norms during the childcare benefit affair and the Covid crisis as instrumental in setting the stage for the growing rejection of democratic constitutional norms among citizens. “If you only look at Covid, many measures have been introduced
While setting aside the rule of law in the pursuit of efficiency in the resolution of pressing issues may be tempting, the approach comes with risks. “While something like that can work for you one time, it can work against you the next time,” suggests Oomen. Scholars emphasize the importance of the rule of law and respect for minority opinions in maintaining a peaceful society. “In our democratic system, there’s a reason why we take the wishes of minorities into account. It serves to maintain stability and prevent dissatisfaction,” says Willem Wagenaar, researcher at the Anne Frank Foundation. The study’s authors argue the trend is best addressed through more education, particularly given the dramatic rise in illiberalism among 18- to 24-year-olds. “We have to learn to live with people who are very different from us, also in political views. Our democracy offers the best protection to prevent history from repeating itself and some groups from being heard no more,” suggests Leopold. Written by Lorre Luther
12-05-2022 10:22
