Not every bus driver participates in the strike in Zaanstreek-Waterland, but according to the trade union FNV there is a majority. Occasionally you will see a bus arriving or departing from the offices of Connexxion in Zaandam and EBS in Purmerend. “To our taste, there are still too many buses on the road,” says EBS driver Jolien de Graaf Bierbrauwer at the FNV action tent on the sidewalk near the EBS office. “We are not allowed to take action within the fences. That says enough.”
Of course, drivers are concerned with higher wages. “If you look at the current inflation, it is a joke that we are lagging behind,” says Peter de Jonker of Connexxion in Zaandam. “There has been a huge workload.
People who ask for a year off in advance, don’t get it. Every weekend that you are free you will be called ten times whether you will not come to work. There is a very high absenteeism due to illness. Drivers simply burn out.” His lecturer Ron van Dordt adds to the list: “If you are sick, you will be called every day to see if you have recovered. People are just tired of it.” In their view, the only solution is more staff and with permanent contracts.
Rushed
At EBS in Purmerend you also hear the same stories about excessive work pressure. Ab Vendrig has been a driver for 34 years and has only seen it get worse. “You just don’t have time to do your job well.” It has not yet led to any accidents for Ab, but he is not confident about the future. Ron from Zaandam also often feels rushed. “I try not to worry about it. But if you have to come to the office because they think you’re not doing your laps fast enough, that’s not nice.”
Next Friday, September 16, a national strike day for regional transport has been announced.