Trade unions FNV and CNV will announce industrial action in regional public transport on Friday after an ultimatum to employers over collective labour agreement talks expired.
The unions warned they would begin industrial action during the week of 12 October if employers ignored their ultimatum. FNV negotiator Marijn van der Gaag and CNV negotiator Niels Rook declined to reveal what measures would be announced at 12:00 on Friday. The unions have previously said they were considering one strike day per week until Christmas.
The ultimatum to the Association of Employers in Public Transport (VWOV) expired on Wednesday. Talks on a new collective labour agreement broke down in July. The previous agreement expired at the end of June.
The agreement covers around 13,000 employees of operators including Arriva, Qbuzz, Keolis and Transdev. Most are bus drivers.
To demand
The unions are seeking higher wages, lower workloads and a retirement scheme. They say support for industrial action among members is strong.
“We are preparing the actions in consultation with our union representatives and with the FNV. We will announce them shortly beforehand to prevent employers from undermining the actions with emergency timetables,” Rook said.
Van der Gaag said employers were proposing significant cutbacks to employment conditions.
VWOV wants to sit down for talks
“The employers are severely cutting into the collective labour agreement with an extensive package of deteriorations. This affects every employee in regional transport. Being called upon more easily, longer working days, more working hours, and no employee representation oversight of shifts and schedules. We are doing what we have to do to defend ourselves,” he said.
After negotiations collapsed in July, the unions already warned that strikes were a possibility. The VWOV has said that a strong collective labour agreement offer is on the table and that it regrets any industrial action.
The employers’ organisation also pointed to the financial challenges facing the public transport sector. It said strikes would only worsen those problems. The VWOV said the dispute would affect uninvolved passengers and clients and urged the unions to return to the negotiating table.
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