The number of strikes in the Netherlands reached a 50-year high last year at 52, according to figures from national statistics agency CBS on Labour Day. In total last year 142,000 working days were lost to strike action and 17,000 workers were involved.

That is down considerably on 2021 and 2020 when there were far fewer strikes but many more workers were involved. And in 2019, the 26 strikes mobilised 319,000 people – the greatest number since the CBS began collating the figures.

That year too, 391,000 days were lost to strike action.

The main reason for going on strike was unhappiness about pay and conditions agreements, the CBS said.

Nevertheless, research by the CBS and TNO research institute at the end of last year found that 81% of workers were happy or very happy about their secondary benefits and working conditions, compared with 77% in 2022. In addition, 78% were happy about their salary, a rise of four percentage points on 2022.

Gross wages rose by an average of 7% last year, the biggest increase in 45 years but the wages of people who are covered by a formal pay and conditions agreement (CAO) – some 75% of the total – rose 5.9%. The minimum wage, by contrast, rose by almost 13%.

The total figure also includes higher wages earned via promotion or moving up a pay scale.

The CBS has also looked at wage developments and found that despite the hefty pay rises of recent years, they are still outstripped by inflation.

Between 2010 and 2023, gross wages rose nearly 33% but inflation was 37.7%, the CBS said. And while inflation over the past three years hit 17.3%, gross salaries were up 12.6% and CAO deals 11.4%.