Regional public transport strike in Utrecht, Noord-Holland today

Today is the second day of strikes in regional public transport. On Wednesday, regional bus and tram drivers in the provinces of Utrecht and Noord-Holland will strike for a better collective bargaining agreement. Marijn van der Gaag of trade union FNV expects “it will burn” in these provinces.

“I suspect that people will be angry, and there will be little left of regional transport,” said Van der Gaag. The union expects a few hundred strikers. Transporters U-OV and Syntus report that fewer trams, city buses, and regional buses will run in Utrecht on Wednesday. Connexxion warned travelers to take delays and possible cancellations into account. In Amsterdam, the GVB buses, trams, and metros should run as usual.

The strikers will gather at the Utrecht provincial government, where the central strike location is. Strikers can register there to receive strike compensation. Employees can also strike at home. Then they must pass on their membership number to the union or scan a QR code to register. On Tuesday, dozens of people did that.

According to the union, the province’s mobility committee will meet during the strike in Utrecht. FNV hopes to present a petition to the committee about the problems in regional transport.

These relay strikes are a run-up to a nationwide strike FNV announced for September 16. On that day, no regional buses- or trains will run. Tomorrow, regional public transport workers will strike in the provinces of Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg. On Friday, they’ll strike in Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Overijssel. Friday’s strike overlaps with a strike by NS workers in Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland.

Regional public transport workers are striking because of the high work pressure. They want more staff hired so that the workload can reduce. That means making jobs in regional transport more attractive with, among other things, higher wages and more permanent contracts.

Today is the second day of strikes in regional public transport. On Wednesday, regional bus and tram drivers in the provinces of Utrecht and Noord-Holland will strike for a better collective bargaining agreement. Marijn van der Gaag of trade union FNV expects “it will burn” in these provinces.

“I suspect that people will be angry, and there will be little left of regional transport,” said Van der Gaag. The union expects a few hundred strikers. Transporters U-OV and Syntus report that fewer trams, city buses, and regional buses will run in Utrecht on Wednesday. Connexxion warned travelers to take delays and possible cancellations into account. In Amsterdam, the GVB buses, trams, and metros should run as usual.

The strikers will gather at the Utrecht provincial government, where the central strike location is. Strikers can register there to receive strike compensation. Employees can also strike at home. Then they must pass on their membership number to the union or scan a QR code to register. On Tuesday, dozens of people did that.

According to the union, the province’s mobility committee will meet during the strike in Utrecht. FNV hopes to present a petition to the committee about the problems in regional transport.

These relay strikes are a run-up to a nationwide strike FNV announced for September 16. On that day, no regional buses- or trains will run. Tomorrow, regional public transport workers will strike in the provinces of Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg. On Friday, they’ll strike in Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Overijssel. Friday’s strike overlaps with a strike by NS workers in Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland.

Regional public transport workers are striking because of the high work pressure. They want more staff hired so that the workload can reduce. That means making jobs in regional transport more attractive with, among other things, higher wages and more permanent contracts.