Strikes loom as two major rail unions reject NS labor deal, smallest union CNV approves

The Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) is threatening new strikes at Dutch Railways (NS) if the company does not submit an improved collective labor agreement for its more than 17,000 employees. A majority of the union’s members have rejected NS’s final offer for the new contract. Earlier in the day, members of the Union for Train Drivers and Conductors (VVMC) also turned down the proposal, while the smaller union CNV approved it.

“Our members have spoken, and they simply do not consider NS’s final offer good enough,” FNV negotiator Henri Janssen said. According to him, employees are demanding automatic price compensation and better arrangements for physically demanding work.

“If NS does not come to the table, there will be new strikes,” he warned. “But we hope that NS will now take responsibility toward passengers and its own staff and quickly reach a collective agreement that has the support of FNV members. The ball is once again in NS’s court.”

Since negotiations collapsed, NS workers have already walked off the job four times. For two days, no NS trains operated anywhere in the country, while the other strikes had regional impact.

After the earlier work stoppages, NS presented an improved offer. The company proposed a 4 percent pay increase effective March 1 this year, followed by another 2.75 percent raise on March 1 next year. If inflation next year exceeds expectations, NS employees would also receive a one-time payment.

The previous NS labor agreement, which expired on March 1, provided for an average wage increase of 6.6 percent. Although those negotiations were also difficult, they did not lead to widespread strikes. In 2022, however, NS staff did stage major walkouts to demand higher pay, ultimately securing raises of more than 9 percent.

An NS spokesperson called it “disappointing” that members of FNV and VVMC have rejected the final offer. “We now want to listen first to understand what motivated members to dismiss the proposal,” the spokesperson said.