Rail workers striking in Arnhem this morning; train delays expected
NS employees are striking in Arnhem between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. today. Train traffic may be hindered, not only in Arnhem, but also in the rest of the country. NS advises travelers to keep an eye on their site for delays before leaving for the station. So far all early morning trains left on time, AD reports.
The strike was arranged by union FNV Spoor. The union is satisfied with the turnout. About 60 employees are taking part. According to FNV manager Henri Janssen, NS again took measures so that trains can depart on schedule. "But it is also not our aim to hit travelers. We want to make it clear to NS that they need to meet our requirements", he said to the newspaper.
The protesters want NS to start bidding on regional concessions again, deploy two conductors on every double-decker train and not outsource shops and restaurants at the stations. On Tuesday the union will evaluate the strikes. "Gradually we'll see if we need to take national action", Janssen said.
FNV Spoor also arranged strikes in Zwolle and The Hague on Monday. There too the strikes barely affected travelers.
State Secretary Sharon Dijksma of Infrastructure and Environment finds it regrettable that FNV decided to take action in a way that inconveniences travelers.
