As there has still been no agreement between the regional transport companies (including Qbuzz and Arrive in the north) and their workers, strikes will be in effect for public transport several days a week over the coming month.
The dates are:
- Tuesday 28 February 2023
- Thursday 2 March 2023
- Monday 6 March 2023
- Wednesday 8 March 2023
- Friday 10 March 2023
- Tuesday 14 March 2023
- Wednesday 15 March 2023
- Monday 20 March 2023
- Wednesday 22 March 2023
- Friday 24 March 2023
- Wednesday 29 March 2023
- Thursday 30 March 2023
- Monday 3 April 2023
- Wednesday 5 April 2023
- Friday7 April 2023
Even though not all transport will be stopped on those days, serious disturbances of the schedules are expected: according to 9292.nl, the official travel information outlet, during the last strike, 50% of journeys went ahead as planned.
It is impossible to predict whether a specific bus or train will be cancelled, as the members of the trade unions sign up for their shift with short notice. This is why Qbuzz and Arriva advise their passengers to check their options as closely to the trip as possible, using the reisplanner or 9292 app.
With nearly one million members, FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging, Dutch Trade Union Federation) is the biggest workers’ union in the country. Together with CNV (Christelijk Nationaal Vakbeweging, Christian National Trade Union Federation), they are demanding – among others – a 16.9% wage increase over the span of a year, reports Dagblad van de Noorden.
“Employers continue to refuse to come to a good collective agreement with a liveable wage and less workload. They are the only ones who can stop the strikes, which cause disturbances and irritation for the passengers”, says Marijn van der Gaag, the director of FNV. The employers’ association, VWOV, repeated that it simply cannot offer it. Instead, they have trued to negotiate the raise down to 11%.
The strikes do not only happen in the North: they affect local transport nationwide. While half of the routes were still operating during the last strike, in some regions, such as Brabant and Twente, the number was as low as 15 to 20%, states 9292.nl. Similar figures may be expected in the coming days.
