Rail passengers across the northern provinces faced massive disruption Thursday, with no Arriva trains at all running on most routes in Friesland and Groningen as transport workers start the first day of their latest series of strikes.
Arriva said, in a typical understatement, that “due to strikes announced by the unions … our timetable may be affected by disruptions.”
Door een staking rijden er op donderdag 2 februari geen treinen van Arriva op de trajecten Leeuwarden-Groningen, Groningen-Roodeschool/Eemshaven en Groningen-Delfzijl. We adviseren reizigers gebruik te maken van ander vervoer. Kijk voor meer info op:https://t.co/7PXEZTJrRh
— Arriva Nederland (@Arriva_NL) February 2, 2023
The FNV and CNV labor union federations want better pay and working conditions for their members in Leeuwarden, Emmen, Mariënberg and Zwolle as part of the ongoing dispute.
Arriva has confirmed there will be no train service on Vechtdal lines (Drenthe/Overijssel), as well as the Leeuwarden-Groningen, Groningen-Roodeschool/Eemshaven, and Groningen-Delfzijl routes, but trains from Groningen to Veendam, Winschoten, and Weener will still run.
As the latest round of strike action by the labor unions takes place, rail operator Arriva is warning of further pain between February 6 and 10. “Take into account disruptions and cancellations if you travel by bus and train,” the company advises. “We recommend that you seek alternative transport.”
Strikes have been a regular occurrence in the public transport sector in recent months, including in January, which brought public transport nationwide to a standstill. The protests are prompted by the ongoing efforts by the unions to improve the collective labour agreements for their members.
