No regional, city buses as nationwide transit strike starts

By Janene Pieters on June 27, 2018 - 07:34
Qbuzz_3013,_Groningen_Grote_Markt_(9305441007)
A Qbuzz bus on the Grote Markt in Groningen (Photo: Alfenaar/Wikimedia Commons). (A Qbuzz bus on the Grote Markt in Groningen (Photo: Alfenaar/Wikimedia Commons))

Due to a national strike in regional public transit, virtually no city- or regional buses will run from today. Some regional trains could also fall out. NS trains, and public transit in Amsterdam and The Hague are unaffected. Rotterdam is partly affected.

Unions FNV and CNV called on their members in regional public transit to go on strike. Around 80 percent of drivers in this sector belong to one of the two unions, according to RTL Nieuws. CNV announced a 72 hours strike, so public transit will be affected until at least Friday. FNV went further and called on its members to strike indefinitely, until there is a solution in the lingering conflict between the unions and employers in collective bargaining agreement talks.

The negotiations have been struggling for months. The unions want a 3.5 percent wage increase for employees, measures to lighten their workload, and a break every 2.5 hours. Employers' association VWOV finds these demands unfeasible and unaffordable. The unions accuse the employers of unwillingness to move.

The strike will affect all city- and regional buses of Connexxion, Arriva, Qbuzz, Keolis, EBS and Hermes. Some regional train lines will also be halted, such as a number of Arriva trains in Limburg. 

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