They say lightning never strikes in the same place twice, but transport workers in the Netherlands do — so mark September 11 in your calendars.
Regional transport workers just announced that they will be striking in the second week of September, NOS shares.
They join the NS train strikes previously announced by FNV on the same date — which means not only will the NS services be down, but so will regional transport.
Morning commutes will be difficult
Those of us with a morning commute will be particularly unlucky.
This is because the strike affects morning hours. The NS and regional transport will not run between 4 AM and 8 AM, so you might want to work from home where possible.
You can check urban transport links in cities like Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam as they will continue to run.
READ MORE | Public transport in the Netherlands: the complete guide
But even that might prove difficult on September 10, as a short work stoppage in urban transport is also planned.
Why are they striking?
These strikes are intentionally planned on the same day for a BIG impact.
The unions hope the disruption pressures the government to share further plans for the so-called RVU scheme.
READ MORE | Dutch trains will suck even more this autumn, says the NS
The scheme, which allows heavy job workers to retire three years earlier than normal, is set to expire next year.
So far, the government has yet to approve an extension of the measure. Time will tell if the strikes help speed up their decision.
Will you be affected by the strikes? Let us know in the comments below.
Oh my gosh. I fly back to the Netherlands on 10th so I hope I can reach Breda. The problem is my boyfriend lands on 11th. We have no idea how he can come back home. 😭 The strikes don’t solve problems, thry just cause them. Can’t people realise that! It’s been years and no changes have been made!