Most buses in Eindhoven and Venlo are not running due to strike

The majority of bus drivers in Eindhoven and Venlo are on strike, said Marijn van der Gaag, director at FNV. "Only one bus has left since 6 a.m. this morning. Most bus drivers will join the strike."

The drivers stopped working to call for higher wages and less work pressure. "The timetables for bus drivers are very difficult," Van der Gaag said. "There is a shortage of staff and absenteeism is increasing enormously. Meanwhile, timetables are being planned even more tightly and there is a lot of pressure during the breaks."

In total, about 80 bus drivers have been scheduled in Eindhoven. So far, 30 bus drivers are present at the site of the strike.

The strike will last until noon on Saturday. "We chose the weekend because we don't want to bother students with a strike during their final exams," Van der Gaag said. "But we really wanted to send out a signal now."

It is the third strike in a national relay for a better collective labor agreement for regional transport. Previously, strikes were held in the northeast of the country. Last Saturday, about 70 percent of the regional buses were not running in Haaksbergen, Enschede and Hengelo. There were also fewer buses on the road in Tilburg at the time.