Cleaning strike extended one week   

By The Holland Times Tuesday 11 May 2010, 11:05

The strike by garbage collectors and cleaning staff in Amsterdam and Utrecht has been extended one week. Unions announced the new end-date of 19 May on Monday night.

Staff of the municipal cleaning services were set to end their strike on 12 May. Last week, employees had announced their desire to cease the strike, but not without a new collective agreement. 

According to union spokesperson Rob Rumkorf, the employees are asking for a minor raise in wages. "We are talking about a net pay rise of between €37 and €44 a month, or 24 cents an hour," he told Parool on Monday.

As discussions go on, the number of strike participants is growing and massive amounts of garbage is filling the streets of both cities.  

While officials say low temperatures are keeping the trash piles from posing a public health threat, a number of shops and retailers are relying on private garbage disposal to remove the rubbish.

Meanwhile, cleaning staff are anxious and "bored," according to Parool, with many expressing hope that they will get back to work before next week.