Netherlands Regional Buses to Strike Nationwide on October 14; Big-City Municipal Transport Excluded
AMSTERDAM — Regional buses across the Netherlands are set to strike nationwide on Wednesday, October 14, in a full-day walkout expected to disrupt public transport across much of the country, with widespread cancellations and difficult connections to smaller towns and tourist destinations that have no direct train service.
Dutch trade unions FNV and CNV called the strike after negotiations over a new collective labour agreement broke down. National journey planner 9292 warns that buses will not operate across almost all of the Netherlands that day. Municipal transport in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague is excluded, because city operators' employees work under different collective agreements and their regular services are expected to continue — though regional buses connecting those cities with surrounding communities may still be affected. Trains run by Dutch Railways (NS) are not part of the announced strike and will keep operating.
The affected regional operators include Arriva, EBS, Qbuzz, Keolis, Transdev — which runs regional brands such as Connexxion and Hermes — and RET's regional services. The actual number of cancelled journeys will depend on employee participation and individual operators' arrangements, and 9292 advises passengers not to assume a bus will run simply because it appears in a published timetable, and to check their journeys before departure.
The strike follows eight rounds of unsuccessful negotiations between FNV and CNV and employers represented by the Association of Public Transport Employers (VWOV). The dispute concerns scheduling flexibility, unpaid breaks and employee influence over rosters. According to FNV, employers want greater flexibility in staff scheduling, additional unpaid breaks, and to cut the advance notice employees receive for their work schedules from approximately eight days to four days or less; the unions argue the changes would make it harder to balance work and family life. The agreement covers approximately 13,000 employees, mainly bus drivers.
FNV and CNV have warned that further industrial action could follow if employers do not reconsider. Earlier announcements raised the possibility of weekly strikes until Christmas, but October 14 is currently the only confirmed nationwide strike date. Travellers relying on regional buses to reach airports, including Amsterdam Schiphol, are advised to check services and consider alternatives.
Source: FNV and CNV strike announcements; 9292 journey planner advisory; FTN News, October.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 荷兰泰尔博格车站的Arriva区域巴士，Rob Dammers 摄，公有领域（Wikimedia Commons）
