Bus drivers and train staff in regional transport will go on strike again on Thursday, trade unions FNV and CNV have announced. It will be the second nationwide strike in regional transport since talks on a new collective labour agreement broke down.
The unions previously announced plans to strike one day a week until Christmas. The first strike took place last Wednesday. Fewer buses and regional trains ran in several parts of the Netherlands that day.
“Our colleagues sent a strong signal on October 14. They showed en masse that they do not accept their employment conditions being stripped away. But employers are still not listening enough. That is why we are going on strike again,” said FNV Regional Transport board member Marijn van der Gaag.
Failure
According to FNV, about 90 per cent of buses that would normally have run did not operate on the first strike day. Employers’ organisation VWOV said half of employees were prepared to stop working.
Negotiations on a new collective labour agreement stalled in July. The unions later issued an ultimatum to employers, but said it was ignored.
FNV and CNV say employers have proposed a “package of deteriorations” to working conditions. The unions are calling for improvements, including a better work-life balance.
Employers
Employers have repeatedly said they regret the industrial action. They say there is not enough financial room to meet the unions’ demands. They also say public transport is already under considerable financial pressure.
The unions acknowledge that strikes cause inconvenience for travellers. However, they plan to continue striking until Christmas if negotiations remain deadlocked.
“We are sticking to that until the employers have come to their senses. We will announce what those actions will be and when at least 48 hours in advance,” said CNV negotiator Niels Rook.
The Public Transport Collective Labour Agreement covers employees in urban and regional transport. It does not cover urban transport in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam.
The agreement applies to around 13,000 employees, mainly bus drivers. They work for companies including EBS, Qbuzz, Keolis and Arriva. The previous collective labour agreement expired at the end of June.
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