AbvaKabo is the largest Dutch civil servants union, one of the bigger union within the FNV federation of unions. As such it was the driving force behind the recent garbage strikes, in which new, radical methods of organisation imported from the US led the unions to victory. And this success, together with the earlier success in the cleaners’ strike has led to a new feeling of militancy within the union, which was noticeable during the leadership elections.
Because despite this recent militacy the union is still somewhat alienated from its members; even more so from non-members of course, who they do represent in negotiations but who see no reason to become members. Membership had dropped over the years and the incumbent leadership of the union has tried to reverse this trend by making the union more of a customer care organisation, including tax advice and such. Some of the more activist cadre members have taken a dim view of this and other modernisation measures, prefering, especially now, to focus on action rather than reorganisation.
There was a real choice than at the elections, but the result was a typical Dutch compromise. The incumbent chair remained in her post, but several leftwing members were elected as well. It will therefore be interesting to see what the union’s strategy will be in the next great struggle, in the negotiations over pay and conditions for health care workers.