Yet another bus strike is imminent: regional transport flat for five days

It seems like an endless prayer: last year there were also several strikes for a better collective labor agreement. Those strikes seemed to work for the CNV, and it eventually signed the proposal. A collective labor agreement must be drawn up again this year, and negotiations have been underway for this purpose in recent times. But the FNV and CNV are not yet satisfied and so they are taking action.

The demands are high: CNV wants a 14 percent wage increase and the FNV demands a 16.9 percent increase. In addition, the workload must also be reduced and they want a good scheme for the elderly. “One in five employees is sick. People no longer have time to go to the toilet. Schedules are irregular. There is hardly any break. It really can’t go on like this,” says a spokesperson for the FNV.

Directly opposite each other

Tanja Copal of the Association of Public Transport Employers (VWOV) opposes the unions and is disappointed. “We have, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, made a very decent proposal. There was an 8 percent wage increase proposal on the table with a plan to reduce the workload. What the unions want is just not possible. The money is simply not there. For this sector, this is the maximum achievable.”

For the unions, this is no reason not to go on strike. “What do they want? That one in four employees will soon become ill?”

Willingness to strike

According to the trade unions, the willingness to strike is high, but according to a Connexxion spokesman, this is less. In addition, there are also ‘self-employed’ drivers, who have no income if they participate in the strike.

Both employer Connexxion and the trade unions cannot say exactly how large the loss will be. Only on Monday can you see how many drivers actually stop working.