NS workers call new rail strike on Friday across six provinces in the Netherlands

Train passengers will have to deal with another NS workers strike on Friday. Railway union VVMC is calling on NS staff to stop working in the north and southern parts of the country. The strike will start at 4 a.m. on Friday and will last for 24 hours. NS staff in Noord-Brabant, Limburg, Zeeland, Groningen, Friesland, and Zwolle are expected to lay down their work.

VVMC, which is the NS worker's largest union, is currently in conflict with the NS about a new collective bargaining agreement. This breakdown in negotiations between NS and the unions of VVMC, FNV, and CNV already led to strikes last Friday and Tuesday. Although these were regional strikes, they resulted in all trains throughout the country being canceled.

It is not yet clear whether this will also be the case on Friday. The NS are currently still looking into what the effects of this strike will have on the services throughout the country, a spokesperson has said.

VVMC thinks that the salary increase that the NS is offering is not sufficient as it is below the inflation rate. In addition, the unions demand that the transport company adjust the regulations for heavy work for conductors and drivers. At the moment, the collective labor agreement negotiations are at a standstill.

"NS is still not making any serious attempt to meet our demands for fair wages and better working conditions," said VVMC director Wim Eilert, who asked travelers for their understanding.

A VVMC spokesperson said that the notification for the strike has been sent. The unions were also set to strike on Thursday, but this was canceled after the NS did not receive a notification on time.

FNV, CNV and VVMC now say that they deliberately changed the planning of the strikes, in order to disrupt attempts by NS to limit the impact on Thursday. "We had received signals that NS had an alternative timetable ready to negate the effects of the strike," FNV director Henri Janssen reported. "We want to keep up the pressure."