Rotterdam Port Workers to Suspend Strike from Monday

A court has ruled that hundreds of striking workers at the Port of Rotterdam will suspend their strike from Monday morning for at least five days, as union leaders and employers attempt to reach an agreement on a new wage deal.

The workers, responsible for securing cargo on container ships, began their strike on Wednesday, causing a growing backlog of vessels at Europe’s largest port.

Port companies had petitioned the court on Saturday to halt the strike. Around 700 workers active in the port have joined the protest, effectively halting all container loading and unloading operations since the strike began.

During the court hearing, the FNV union and the striking companies agreed to resume negotiations on Sunday morning. As per the arrangement, the strike will be suspended from 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) Monday until the same time on Friday.

The court stated late Saturday that if no agreement is reached by then, the strike may resume, after which companies will be allowed to seek a formal court ruling on the matter.