On Saturday, at least 100,000 Dutch workers are expected to congregate in Amsterdam to protest a wide-range of changes that the government says are necessary to revitalize the Dutch economy and to prepare for an aging society. The government is looking to cut taxes and government spending and make it harder for people to get unemployment and disability benefits. This strike is surprising given that the Dutch have always been known for their consensus between workers and employers, and labor disputes have been infrequent.
See "Hey, look! A strike in Holland!", Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune, September 30, 2004