This is the right thing to do. Also a good way to show respect. I know quite a few muslims who feel alienated because their holiday isn't recognized by the state, yet when Christian holidays come, they feel alone in that they're the only ones not celebrating. A good move by the trade union. More countries with a minority of muslims should adopt this strategy.

Re: Amsterdamsky

Another graduate from the Rosie O'Donnell School of Religious Equivalence.

I don't think anyone was seriously worshipping Greek Gods by the time Jesus was born. Even the Ancient Romans of that time were religious cynics.

The Protestants brought us out of the Dark Ages? I think the Renaissance preceeded Protestantism.

You need to go back to school and learn some history.

As far as the West is concerned, Christianity is not merely another religion alongside Judaism, Hinduism, or Islam, but "first among equals" - it is part of Western culture, whether it is practiced or not. Similarly, monarchies are part of the cultures of the United Kingdom and other European states, even though they wield no real executive, legislative, or judicial power. F.e. I am certain that there is no statistically significant worship of the ancient Greek dieties, yet, they are part of Greek culture.

Christian and/or monarchist holidays are the same as any other cultural holidays, and should only be modified democratically.

If it was not so sad, this slow motion train wreck would be fascinating to watch.

To any members of the Euro elite who read the BrusselsJournal, being nice to Christians will frequently result in them being nice to you. That's why many nations in the world are pleased to have Christian citizens. Being nice to Muslims is a much chancier proposition entirely. 

@ Voyager

A correction is in order.

Republicanism does NOT mean 'absence of a king or queen or such'.  It means that sovereignty rests with the people, not with a 'sovereign' (whatever his title).  It means that political leadership is TEMPORARILY transferred to a leader by a 'representative' body. 

It is unlikely that the Netherlands is headed for "republicanism" (ascetic or otherwise).  The Netherlands is headed for some kind of authoritarianism, perhaps even a new form of totalitarianism, where power will not be transferred temporarily by a representative body of free people (i.e. with freedom of expression), but will be maintained indefinitely by an 'unaccountable' ruler or 'clique'. That is clearly the situation everywhere today in Arabia, and will be the situation in Eurabia in the future.  It is not republicanism!

I know that the soviet union, communist China, Baathist Irak, the Islamic 'Republic' of Iran, etc...all used and use the word "Republic".  They have a way of using distorted language.  Their political systems have more similarities with absolute monarchies, than with free and democratic "Republics".   The key distinction is between TEMPORARY and INDEFINITE power, not whether we call the political leader a "king", or a "supreme leader", or a "Secretary General" etc...  

But it is not. It is an emergent Islamic Republic which will cleanse Amsterdam and other Dutch cities of its current liberality and impose an ascetic republicanism.

Pim Fortuyn warned you and you buried him and Van Gogh................. 

Someone in a Christian country is proposing to sacrifice an important Christian day, and replace it with a day that is important to ONE other religious group, and expects that “freedom and respect for one another” will result?

I have an idea. Rather than make a unilateral sacrifice, why doesn't he go to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, and ask if they'll give up Eid, and replace it with whichever Christian festival is nearest at the time?

And what will happen when Ramadan gets to December - swap for Christmas Day?

I would like to see ALL religious holidays not recognized by the government. OK, The Netherlands is supposed to be a secular democracy but we have a queen and nearly all stores are forcibly closed on Sunday except for 6 Sundays a year picked by the government.