Due to a strike by the NS staff, there are no trains running in almost the entire province today. The train staff will stop working because they are on strike for better collective labor agreements. Negotiations on this have been stalled for some time, so that region by region is now being discontinued. Today it is Noord-Holland’s turn and you will notice this.
The spokesperson for FNV Spoor, Hans Walthie, informs NH Nieuws that the striking staff can report to the following stations. Train traffic has come to a standstill in Alkmaar, Amsterdam, Den Helder, Enkhuizen, Haarlem, Hoorn, Schiphol and Zaandam. Outside the province, Almere is also participating in the strike. “We expect a high turnout,” says the spokesperson. “It is not yet possible to predict whether it will also radiate on the timetable in the rest of the country.”
That was the case last Friday when there was a strike in South Holland. Then drove to Haarlem, Alkmaar and Amsterdam Central a lot less trains. At Schiphol it became traffic jams to the so-called kiss-and-ride spots. Crowds are expected there today as well.
How then?
The NS advises travelers not to come to the station, because there are no trains running anyway. Other public transport companies still use their timetable today. It is useful to plan your trip in advance with the trip planner, which you can also use to travel without a train.
Then you will probably see a longer alternative route with different buses. An example: a journey from Enkhuizen to Schiphol normally takes just under an hour and a half by train, without the train it takes at least three hours.
If possible, you can take the car towards the destination. The journey can also be made by taxi, although it is a lot more expensive.
The NS gives a strike compensation of 25 euros per person. During the previous strike days, Wednesday and Friday, the NS set up this page which conditions the traveler must meet for the reimbursement.
No replacement transport is arranged by the NS. According to a spokesperson for the NS, this is not possible due to the high number of travelers.
Why is there a strike?
The unions, FNV Spoor, CNV and VVMC are on strike because they demand better working conditions and higher wages. They also believe that the workload should be reduced. “At the moment, 1,100 vacancies are open at the NS and many employees have left after a few weeks of work,” says Walthie.
At the beginning of this month, the unions had issued an ultimatum already threatening actions if the NS did not comply with the unions’ demands.
The FNV says it has not heard anything from the NS so far. “The ball is now in the NS’s court,” says Walthie. “We are not striking for pleasure, we hope that we can quickly conclude the collective labor agreement.”
When asked, the NS will let you know that the door is open for a conversation.