Train strike paralyzes travel on Tuesday after failed negotiations
Train services will be suspended on Tuesday in the areas of Noord-Holland, Flevoland, Gelderland, and most of Overijssel, as railway workers in the regions of Oost and Noordwest have announced a full strike for 24 hours starting from 4:00 AM and lasting until 3:59 AM on Wednesday, according to confirmation from the Dutch railway company NS.
NS company clarified that it has adjusted its schedules to operate as many trains as possible across the country, but it warned that the strike could have national implications. The company's CEO, Wouter Koolmees, expressed "great disappointment," stating: "We had hoped for a different outcome, and it is unfortunate that passengers are the ones paying the price again."
The strike has been confirmed after the FNV union announced that negotiations with NS have collapsed again. The union indicated that NS "is not sufficiently approaching our demands" in the ongoing talks about the collective labor agreement. NS had made a new offer on Friday, which includes a wage increase of 3.25% starting from March 1, 2025, instead of 2.55% in the previous offer, along with another increase of 2.75% in March 2026. The company justified the new offer as aimed at addressing inflation, which is a key demand of the union.
However, the FNV union rejected the offer, describing it as "a rude repetition of previous offers," and Henry Jansen, a representative of the FNV Rail union, said: "They come with crumbs and expect us to stop the strike. This shows a lack of respect for the employees." The union is demanding a 7% annual wage increase, a broader agreement to protect purchasing power, enabling employees in stressful jobs to retire early, automatically linking wages to the inflation rate, and improving labor rights for all employees. Jansen clarified that the union dedicated the entire Monday for negotiations, but NS only offered two hours. He said: "We made every effort, but if NS says it wants to negotiate and then offers nothing new and does not allocate enough time, the matter is settled."
The previous collective agreement for NS ended on March 1 and covers about 17,500 employees. Under this agreement, employees received an average increase of 6.6% without strikes. In 2022, strikes led to a 9% increase in salaries. Janssen added that a good agreement benefits not only the employees but also the passengers, stating: "When you treat your employees well, you provide reliable service."
He pointed out that many new employees leave NS after a short period due to low salaries and the long time required to reach the top of the salary scale, which can take up to 20 years, amid exhausting work schedules and frequent weekend shifts. For his part, Colmes expressed his annoyance at the union's insistence on its initial demands, warning that failure to reach a settlement could lead to continued disruption of services. Janssen confirmed that national strikes are still on the table if NS does not respond to the union's demands after Tuesday's strike.