Early commuters in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam were hit by major problems getting to work on Tuesday as public transport workers went on strike in support of their campaign for a better early retirement scheme.

On Tuesday, public transport in the three big cities came to a halt between 4 am and 8 am and public transport firms said it would be some time before services are back to normal.  

On Wednesday, NS and regional transport workers will strike at the same time but then too it could be several hours later before trains are operating according to the timetable.

The strikes are part of a series of stoppages by unions in support of a new early retirement scheme for workers in physically taxing jobs. The current ruling is due to expire at the end of this year. The retirement age in the Netherlands is 67.

On Monday it emerged that the government is thinking of making a quota part of a new early retirement package. Social affairs minister Eddy van Hijum said he wants to limit the number of people who take advantage of the option to 15,000 a year, and to exclude people earning over €74,000 a year.

Unions are furious at the suggestion, saying it is a slap in the face to everyone doing physically taxing jobs. “They are acting as if there is a great proposal on the table, but that is far from the case,” the FNV trade union said.

Strikes will follow this week in Rotterdam port, in the construction sector, healthcare and various other heavy industries.

The police have been taking action since the spring.  Sunday’s football tie between Ajax and Utrecht, which police unions say they will boycott, has also been cancelled because of the risk of crowd trouble. Earlier, the Feyenoord Ajax clash was cancelled for the same reason.