New public transport strikes looming as contract talks stall

New strikes are looming in public transport this autumn. After four months of negotiations on the collective labor agreement for regional bus, metro, and tram drivers, talks between unions and transport operators seem to be heading for a breakdown, AD reported.

The eighth and final round of negotiations starts on Monday, but neither employers nor unions have much hope that they will lead to an agreement. This collective agreement covers approximately 13,000 bus drivers, train drivers, conductors, and technical staff at regional operators like Arriva, Qbuzz, and Transdev, and city operators like RET and GVB.

The trade unions want a 6 percent wage increase, automatic price compensation, and measures to reduce the high workload. Employers want more flexibility in deploying staff, to adjust the retirement scheme, and to redistribute the irregular working hours allowance.

Sources within the Association of Public Transport Employers (WVOV) are very concerned. “It appears the unions want to strike because our proposals have been categorically rejected for months,” an insider told AD. According to the employers, the talks are proceeding so slowly that they haven’t even started negotiating the unions’ wage demands yet.

FNV negotiator Marijn van der Graag confirmed that the talks are at the point of breaking down, but blames it on the employers. “It really seems to be escalating; the employers are coming up with disproportionate proposals.” According to him, the transport companies want to extend shift lengths from a maximum of eight to a maximum of ten hours, introduce unpaid 45-minute breaks, and only finalize rosters four days in advance.

“All in all, the public transport driver profession is becoming increasingly unattractive. Apparently, transport companies feel the hot breath of their shareholders on their necks,” Van der Graag said.

Should no agreement be reached on Monday, FNV will prepare labor actions. These will not happen in the summer holidays, but in the autumn, the union representative said. “We will sit through the final round. If the employers do not change anything, we will consult with our members,” Van der Graag said. “I expect the first action meetings at the end of August or the beginning of September.”

CNV also confirmed that negotiations were stalling. “Substantive negotiations on the proposals have not even taken place yet. We are talking past each other; the question is how we are going to get out of this,” board member Kathelijne van der Voort said. According to her, CNV would prefer an agreement over strikes, but will take action if necessary.