Teachers strike shuts down thousands of Dutch schools

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – A daylong strike by Dutch teachers has shut down thousands of schools across the country, the latest mass protest in what is becoming an autumn of discontent in the Netherlands.

Organizers say Wednesday’s strike has forced the closure of more than 4,000 schools nationwide. It follows massive protest demonstrations in recent weeks by farmers and construction workers unhappy at the government’s emissions policies.

The strike went ahead despite the government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week reaching an agreement with unions and schools to invest an extra 460 million euros ($510 million) in education to tackle a shortage of teachers, improve working conditions and raise salaries.

Unlike the farmers and construction workers who massed in The Hague for demonstrations, teachers are staging smaller protests across the country.