AMSTERDAM— KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) has presented a wage proposal to unions representing its ground staff, following threats of an eight-hour strike at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) scheduled for July 9, 2025.
The proposal includes a one-time €1,000 payment in 2025 and a potential salary increase of up to 2.5% by July 2026, conditional on the airline’s 2025 financial performance.
Photo: By Russell Lee, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48377114KLM New Wage Deal
KLM has initiated a 22-month collective labor agreement (CLA) covering all staff groups within the airline.
The proposal outlines unified terms across all four CLAs, which apply to distinct employee categories, including ground staff who threatened to strike.
The airline’s offer includes:
- €1,000 one-time bonus for all employees, payable in 2025.
- Up to 2.5% structural salary raise effective July 1, 2026.
- The salary increase is linked to KLM’s 2025 operating result (COI margin). A minimum COI of 5.5% unlocks the full raise; a lower margin results in a reduced, but guaranteed, increase of at least 0.5%.
KLM (KL) aims to use this proposal as a foundation to secure agreements across all unions. Wage negotiations are scheduled to resume on July 10, one day after the potential strike.
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – KLM Cityhopper Embraer 190; PH-EZP@AMS;15.04.2013/705by, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26631779Timing Critical as Strike Looms Over Busy Travel Period
The strike threat was issued by CNV, a Dutch labor union, following slow progress in wage talks.
The planned strike aligns with the start of school holidays in several Dutch regions, increasing its potential impact at Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), one of Europe’s busiest hubs.
KLM previously hinted at seeking a court injunction to block the strike, similar to a legal action it pursued successfully in June. However, CNV believes the legal landscape has shifted, as the earlier court ruling cited airport security concerns related to a NATO summit—a factor not present in this instance.
Photo: KLMBackground: Legal and Operational Implications
In June, a Dutch court banned a similar strike, citing elevated security demands due to the NATO leaders’ summit in The Hague. KLM may again turn to the courts, but has yet to confirm a legal filing.
The outcome of the July 9 strike threat and the success of the wage offer are likely to influence industrial relations and service continuity for KLM during the busy summer travel season.
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