In December 2019, Dutch pharmacies were closed for the entire Christmas week due to a nationwide strike by pharmacy employees. Staff members went on strike on Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24th, and Friday 27th December. Combined with the Christmas holidays on Wednesday and Thursday, this meant that many public pharmacies were unavailable throughout the week.
The strike was organized by trade unions FNV and CNV in response to high workloads and demands for higher salaries. Approximately 10,000 employees participated in a previous strike on 12 November, protesting against stressful working conditions and low pay.
Emergency services remained operational during the strike, ensuring that patients could access urgent medications, albeit possibly from alternative locations. Employers expressed concern over the impact of the strike on patient care and safety, warning of potential risks due to the accumulation of prescriptions.
Negotiations between the unions and the employers continued, with unions demanding a minimum 6% salary increase retroactive from 1 July, a minimum wage of €16 per hour, and measures to reduce workload. Employers offered a 2% increase from 1 July and an additional 5% from 1 July the following year, citing constraints due to policies set by health insurers and the government.
Source: NOS News Article