August 26, 2022

AA/Rotterdam-La Haye

After the 24-hour strike carried out this Wednesday in the northern region of the country, at the call of the Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions (FNV) and various unions, a new 24-hour strike took place in the western region in towns such as Rotterdam and The Hague.

Today’s strike by Dutch railway workers affects transport and passengers throughout the country, as rail connections in the Western region are important for the whole country.

The strike, which started two days ago following the negative response to the demands of railway workers to raise their wages, will continue alternately in different regions until August 31.

NS workers will go on strike next Monday in the northwest region of the capital Amsterdam, Tuesday in the central cities of the country and Wednesday in the eastern and northern regions.

Physics teacher Bart Houweling, who was waiting to go to work at Rotterdam train station, told Anadolu Agency (AA) he was a victim because he mightn’t go to work.

“They said there was a train service to the town where my place of work is, so I came to the station, but when I came here I learned that it was cancelled” he said.

He added that some students were in the same situation as him, and they might not participate in their physics class today, which saddens him very much. Furthermore, he said he might understand the strikers’ struggle for their rights, but that it was a problem for him because he might not access his workplace.

Yara Bonet, who came to The Hague station on her way to the city of Nijmegen, said she was on her way to buy a cat, and was told that train services were canceled when she arrived at the station , adding that this was not very pleasant.

The unions are demanding that the monthly salary of NS workers be increased by 100 euros gross and that a one-off payment of 600 euros be made to employees, due to rising inflation and falling purchasing power in the country.

Dutch Railways, on the other hand, says demand is high and argues that they are still in a difficult financial situation due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The FNV had announced that if they still did not accept its demands following the strikes, there would be national strikes.

* Translated from Turkish by Nursena Karakaya

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