Heads up, train travellers! 🚨 A major strike is on track (pun intended) for Friday, June 6, and it’s bringing all Dutch trains to a screeching halt.
According to the NS website, train conductors and drivers across the Netherlands are planning several region-wide strikes over the coming days.
Here’s what we know. 👇
Which routes will be affected?
From a news bulletin by the FNV (the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions), the first strike is locked in for this Friday, June 6.
First on the agenda is a strike in Utrecht, one of the country’s busiest and most important stations. This shutdown will likely ripple outwards to other parts of the country, making the impact especially severe for commuters.
@dutchreview Perhaps cycling through rain for two hours would be a better option…
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Here’s an overview of the planned demonstrations so far:
- 6 June: Central Netherlands (Utrecht)
- 10 June: West Netherlands
- 12 June: Northwest and East Netherlands
- 16 June: North and South Netherlands
- 17 June: Potential national strike 🚨
So if you’re planning to ride the rails on Friday, you’d better start brushing up on your remote working skills. 💻 Stay tuned and stay flexible!
Let op: According to AD, the NS will be unable to organise alternative methods of transport during the strike.
This means that no alternative bus or metro routes will be available, which the NS might otherwise have used to replace your rail journey.
If you’re travelling internationally, on the other hand, your journey will likely proceed as normal.
Why is there a strike?
After months of talking, negotiations between the NS and various trade unions broke down on May 8. The NS offered a paltry 2.75% wage increase, citing that they “simply cannot bear” additional wage hikes, but the unions just weren’t having it.
But, it’s not just about pay — the unions are also pushing for better working conditions, like no night shifts after age 50. The NS says maybe… but only for employees over 63 years of age, and not before 2027. 🙄
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“That means we are definitely going on strike,” FNV director Henri Janssen tells AD.
Speaking on behalf of the VVMC (Trade Union for Machinists and Conductors), director Wim Eilert adds: “We don’t like doing this, it’s super annoying for travellers. But NS leaves us no other choice.”
Is there some hope on the horizon? Yes, as an NS spokesperson reveals to AD: “We expect that the restart of train traffic on Saturday will not cause any problems and that it will run normally.”
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