Regional public transport strikes to be announced Friday after union ultimatum expires

Arriva bus 377 to Roermond making a stop at the Venlo station. The bus is a Volvo 8900. 25 March 2018 - Credit: - License: CC-BY Business Thursday, 8 October 2026 - 07:00

Trade unions FNV and CNV are going to announce a regional public transport strike on Friday as the deadline issued to employers for a collective labor agreement has expired. The unions had stated that if the deadline is not met, actions would occur from October 12 onwards.

FNV negotiator Marijn van der Gaag and CNV negotiator Niels Rook did not wish to say which actions will be undertaken from noon on Friday. The unions had previously said they were contemplating one day of strikes a week up to Christmas.

The ultimatum issued to the Association of Employers in Public Transport (VWOV) expired on Wednesday. The negotiations about a new collective labor agreement stalled in July. The current collective labor agreement expired at the end of June. The collective labor agreement applies to over 13,000 employees, mainly bus drivers, at companies like Arriva, QBuzz, Keolis, and Transdev.

The unions have demands surrounding higher wages, less work pressure, and a scheme for elderly workers. The unions have stated that many members are in favor of taking action.

“We are preparing the actions in consultation with our representatives and with the FNV. We will announce them shortly beforehand to prevent employers from sabotaging the actions with emergency schedules,” Rook of the CNV said.

“The employers are making sweeping cuts to the collective labor agreement with a major package of deteriorations. This affects every employee in regional public transport. Employees can be called in even more easily, working days will be longer, there will be more work, and employee representatives will have no control over shifts and schedules. We will do what we have to do to defend ourselves,” Van der Gaag of the FNV said.

The unions had already said they were contemplating strikes after the negotiations stalled in July. The VWOW has said that there is a good collective labor agreement offer on the table and is disappointed by the actions.

VWOV noted financial issues in public transport and said that strikes will only increase these issues. They added that it will also affect passengers and clients in a conflict that has nothing to do with them. The VWOV is also calling on the unions to return to the negotiations.

Reporting by ANP