Railway company NS warns strike could ‘severely impact’ train travel
Train drivers union VVMC calls strike for Friday over stalled pay talks
Dutch railway company NS has warned that a strike by train drivers on Friday could “severely impact” train travel. The strike has been called by the VVMC union, which represents train drivers, over stalled pay talks with NS.
Talks between the two sides have been ongoing for months, but no agreement has yet been reached. The union is demanding a 10% pay rise, while NS has offered a 5% increase.
The strike is expected to cause major disruption to train services across the country. NS has advised passengers to check its website or app for the latest information on which services are running.
In a statement, NS said: “We regret the inconvenience this strike will cause to our passengers. We are doing everything we can to minimize disruption and ensure that passengers can travel as safely and comfortably as possible.”
The VVMC union said it had “no choice” but to call a strike after NS refused to meet its demands.
“We have been negotiating with NS for months, but they have refused to make a fair offer,” said VVMC chairman Wim Eilering. “We are asking for a 10% pay rise, which is only fair given the rising cost of living.”
NS has said it is “disappointed” by the union’s decision to strike.
“We believe that our offer of a 5% pay rise is fair and reasonable,” said NS spokesperson Bart Schmeink. “We are committed to reaching an agreement with the union, but we will not be held to ransom by their demands.”
The strike is expected to last for 24 hours, from 00:00 to 24:00 on Friday. NS has said that it will run a reduced service on some lines, but many trains will be canceled.
