Strikes threaten railways after unions reject offers
The small CNV union agreed to the new collective agreement presented by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), while the larger FNV and VVMC unions rejected it, threatening a return of strikes to the Dutch railway network.
The negotiator at the FNV union, Henry Jansen, confirmed that the majority of members rejected the final offer made by NS, considering that it does not meet the aspirations of employees who are demanding automatic compensation for rising prices and improved working conditions for physically demanding jobs. He warned, saying: "If NS does not sit at the negotiating table, there will be new strikes," urging the company to take responsibility towards passengers and workers.
Since the negotiations stalled, the country has witnessed four waves of strikes by NS employees, including two days when train services were completely halted, while the other strikes had a local impact. Following these strikes, NS made an improved offer that includes a 4% wage increase effective March 1 of this year, followed by an additional 2.75% increase on March 1 of next year, along with a one-time payment if inflation exceeds expectations.
The previous agreement, which ended on March 1, stipulated an average wage increase of 6.6%. Despite the difficulty of those negotiations, they did not result in widespread strikes, unlike what happened in 2022 when NS employees went on strike to achieve increases exceeding 9%.
NS commented on the decision to reject the offer by saying it is "disappointing," indicating a desire to hear the reasons that led union members to reject it.