03:31Hundreds of pharmacy workers gathered in Malieveld, The Hague to demand a better collective bargaining agreement from the government, causing hundreds of pharmacies across the Netherlands to shutter Tuesday.
Footage shows workers dissatisfied with the employers' proposed wage increase gathering under the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation flag, listening to speeches, and marching towards The Hague city centre.
"I love my work, but eventually this government doesn't give us enough money for our work, our passion," explained pharmacist Sarah.
Another pharmacist noted that managing day-to-day operations is becoming increasingly difficult due to medicine and staff shortages.
"We get two per cent but we want six per cent higher salaries for our work, what we do, because it's very hard work in the pharmacy because every day it's becoming difficult to get medicines in the pharmacy," said pharmacist Sylvia. "Every time you have to look, can we get this tomorrow or is it available or not, so you are very long with one patient busy."
"The new students, they come to learn with us, but after the years, after the three years that they are with us, they are going away, because they think it's not very much what we earn here and they are going to study further, so in the future there is no assistance anymore," said added.
Strike organiser Saimon stated that pharmacy workers feel undervalued and unrepresented, and therefore decided to unite to push for acceptable compensation and working conditions.
"There's no collective labour agreement for the pharmacists' assistance. They want a higher wage, but the pharmacies won't give it to them. So we are here to protest against that and to ask for negotiations and a better bid from the pharmacies," he explained.
According to local media, the national strike was called by trade unions FNV and CNV after months of regional strikes. The unions are demanding a 6 per cent wage increase from July 1 and a raise in the minimum wage to €16 an hour.
'No collective labour agreement' - Pharmacy workers rally in The Hague as hundreds of pharmacies shutter across Netherlands
Hundreds of pharmacy workers gathered in Malieveld, The Hague to demand a better collective bargaining agreement from the government, causing hundreds of pharmacies across the Netherlands to shutter Tuesday.
Footage shows workers dissatisfied with the employers' proposed wage increase gathering under the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation flag, listening to speeches, and marching towards The Hague city centre.
"I love my work, but eventually this government doesn't give us enough money for our work, our passion," explained pharmacist Sarah.
Another pharmacist noted that managing day-to-day operations is becoming increasingly difficult due to medicine and staff shortages.
"We get two per cent but we want six per cent higher salaries for our work, what we do, because it's very hard work in the pharmacy because every day it's becoming difficult to get medicines in the pharmacy," said pharmacist Sylvia. "Every time you have to look, can we get this tomorrow or is it available or not, so you are very long with one patient busy."
"The new students, they come to learn with us, but after the years, after the three years that they are with us, they are going away, because they think it's not very much what we earn here and they are going to study further, so in the future there is no assistance anymore," said added.
Strike organiser Saimon stated that pharmacy workers feel undervalued and unrepresented, and therefore decided to unite to push for acceptable compensation and working conditions.
"There's no collective labour agreement for the pharmacists' assistance. They want a higher wage, but the pharmacies won't give it to them. So we are here to protest against that and to ask for negotiations and a better bid from the pharmacies," he explained.
According to local media, the national strike was called by trade unions FNV and CNV after months of regional strikes. The unions are demanding a 6 per cent wage increase from July 1 and a raise in the minimum wage to €16 an hour.
Hundreds of pharmacy workers gathered in Malieveld, The Hague to demand a better collective bargaining agreement from the government, causing hundreds of pharmacies across the Netherlands to shutter Tuesday.
Footage shows workers dissatisfied with the employers' proposed wage increase gathering under the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation flag, listening to speeches, and marching towards The Hague city centre.
"I love my work, but eventually this government doesn't give us enough money for our work, our passion," explained pharmacist Sarah.
Another pharmacist noted that managing day-to-day operations is becoming increasingly difficult due to medicine and staff shortages.
"We get two per cent but we want six per cent higher salaries for our work, what we do, because it's very hard work in the pharmacy because every day it's becoming difficult to get medicines in the pharmacy," said pharmacist Sylvia. "Every time you have to look, can we get this tomorrow or is it available or not, so you are very long with one patient busy."
"The new students, they come to learn with us, but after the years, after the three years that they are with us, they are going away, because they think it's not very much what we earn here and they are going to study further, so in the future there is no assistance anymore," said added.
Strike organiser Saimon stated that pharmacy workers feel undervalued and unrepresented, and therefore decided to unite to push for acceptable compensation and working conditions.
"There's no collective labour agreement for the pharmacists' assistance. They want a higher wage, but the pharmacies won't give it to them. So we are here to protest against that and to ask for negotiations and a better bid from the pharmacies," he explained.
According to local media, the national strike was called by trade unions FNV and CNV after months of regional strikes. The unions are demanding a 6 per cent wage increase from July 1 and a raise in the minimum wage to €16 an hour.