FNV: 16 September no regional buses and trains throughout the Netherlands due to strike

On Friday, September 16, there will be no regional buses and trains throughout the country. Due to a nationwide strike, the regional transport staff will stop working that day. The trade union FNV announced this on Wednesday. In the run-up to the national strike day, four regional strikes will also take place. They are on September 6 in Flevoland, South Holland and Zeeland, September 7 in North Holland and Utrecht, September 8 in Gelderland, North Brabant and Limburg and September 9 in Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe and Overijssel.

Regional transport companies are striking for a better collective labor agreement, just like the personnel of the Dutch Railways, which has caused train traffic to be canceled in recent days with strikes. The regional transport unions had already issued an ultimatum to the employers in April. They demand, among other things, a wage increase of 2.5 percent and more permanent contracts instead of flexible employment contracts. Because these demands were not met, the staff took action.

Marijn van der Gaag, director of FNV Streekvervoer, says that the sector is struggling with personnel shortages, as a result of which the workload is high and absenteeism is rising. “Everything shows that the managements of the transport companies only have one thing in mind: cut backs, cut backs and cut back some more,” says Van der Gaag. According to him, not only the staff suffers, but also the traveler because of the cancellation of lines. The union leader finds the strike annoying for travelers, but according to him it shows “how dire the need is”.