NS is asking travellers to take their waste with them on Thursday and dispose of it outside trains and stations. The appeal comes amid a nationwide cleaners’ strike, which has reduced the number of staff available to clean the trains. According to an NS spokeswoman, less waste left behind means less cleaning required during the strike period.
Cleaners responsible for maintaining NS trains began a two‑day strike on Wednesday. Around 30 percent of the cleaning workforce is participating, though trains are still being cleaned to a limited extent. NS reports no noticeable increase in complaints about dirty trains compared to normal operations.
Protest Headquarters
The strike was organised by the FNV trade union, which is protesting an impending reduction in sick‑pay provisions. The union’s frustration is directed at the employers’ organisation ‘Schoonmakend Nederland’. NS itself is not part of the collective labour agreement dispute. The company hires cleaners through the contractor Vebego.
On Thursday afternoon, cleaners held a protest meeting at NS headquarters in Utrecht, arguing that NS is a major client in the cleaning sector. According to FNV official Herrie Hoogenboom, around 450 cleaners from across the country attended the action. The Dutch cleaning industry employs roughly 120,000 people.
Schoonmakend Nederland expressed regret over the strike. The organisation noted that FNV had previously reached an agreement on a new collective labor agreement, but its members voted against it. As a result, Schoonmakend Nederland expects to finalise a collective labour agreement with CNV, whose members approved the negotiation outcome.
