Regional transport strikes again, negotiations deadlocked

Employees in regional transport are on strike again across the country today. The staff wants a new collective labor agreement that stipulates that wages will rise in line with inflation. The collective labor agreement applies to approximately 13,000 employees.

At the beginning of this month, regional transport also went on strike for five days. Many buses were canceled then. According to the employers, about half of the buses would not have driven that week, but FNV called that a “frame”. According to the union, there were more strikes and there was 80 percent failure.

Negotiations on a new collective labor agreement are deadlocked. FNV demands a wage increase of 16.9 percent for a collective labor agreement for one year, the CNV demands 14 percent spread over eighteen months. In addition to higher wages, the unions also want measures to reduce the high workload among bus drivers.

Employers think that wage demand is too high. The wage offer of the Public Transport Employers Association (VWOV) is 8 percent for a year. Together with the improved terms of employment, staff would benefit by 11 percent.

Train strike around Zwolle

VWOV chairman Fred Kagie said earlier that there is no money to meet the demands of the unions. According to the employers, the margins in public transport are very small and many transport companies have been running at a loss since corona.

Next Friday will also be discontinued. In addition, there are actions this week for another collective labor agreement in regional transport. This applies to some 1300 employees, mainly train staff. Negotiations on this collective agreement between employers and trade unions have also reached an impasse.

CNV has called on staff covered by that collective labor agreement to go on strike on Thursday around Zwolle. Carrier Keolis is therefore taking into account fewer trains or cancellations tomorrow on the Zwolle-Enschede and Zwolle-Kampen routes.