KLM ground staff to strike at Schiphol Airport over pay deal

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) is bracing for a potential flight disruption as KLM ground staff prepare to walk out.

The work stoppage of ground staff is scheduled for September 10, 2025, following the rejection by two major unions representing ground staff of a recently concluded collective labor agreement (CLA) with KLM. The walkout marks the latest escalation in a dispute that has fractured labor representation at the Dutch flag carrier and raised questions about its ability to secure labor stability while resolving ongoing financial pressures.

The unions FNV and CNV confirmed that employees will stage a two-hour strike on September 10th, followed by a four-hour stoppage the following week. While flights are expected to continue, some delays and operational disruptions are anticipated at one of Europe’s busiest hubs.

At the heart of the dispute is a new three-year CLA signed by KLM with three other unions, including NVLT, VKP, and De Unie, which represent a majority of the airline’s ground personnel. The agreement provides for a 2,25% wage increase through mid-2026, a one-time €750 bonus, an expanded early retirement scheme, and revised profit-sharing arrangements.

KLM has described the outcome as a balanced solution given its financial constraints, citing rising operating costs and tighter margins.

“Within KLM’s current financial reality, we have come together to make strong arrangements regarding remuneration, career development, and flexibility. This is good news for our colleagues, who will maintain their purchasing power, and for our entire company. I invite FNV and CNV to join us in this agreement,” KLM HR Director Miriam Kartman said in a statement on September 4, 2025.

However, FNV and CNV, which together represent thousands of ground workers, have dismissed the deal. Both unions argue that the wage settlement does not protect employees from inflation. They have also raised broader concerns about the prevalence of temporary contracts and the lack of sufficient recognition for physically demanding roles.

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Talk of industrial action first emerged in June 2025 after negotiations between KLM and the unions broke down, but initial strike attempts were either postponed or blocked by the courts. In the meantime, KLM struck separate deals with pilots and other ground staff unions, fueling frustration at FNV and CNV.The post KLM ground staff to strike at Schiphol Airport over pay deal appeared first on AeroTime.

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