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Coalition parties VVD and DENK accused the opposition in The Hague of spreading fear about the future of hundreds of subsidised STiP jobs. Alderman Nur Icar said there was no reason for concern and that no jobs were at risk or employees being dismissed.
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Employees in regional public transport began a nationwide strike on Wednesday after negotiations on a new collective agreement stalled. FNV and CNV called on bus drivers, train drivers and other staff to stop work for one day each week until Christmas, with future strike days to be announced shortly beforehand. The unions seek a 9.5% pay rise over two years, lower workload, faster permanent contracts and improved arrangements for older workers. Employers’ association VWOV said it had made a fair proposal and estimated that about half of employees were prepared to join the strike, with major regional differences. Services were heavily disrupted, although the extent varied by operator and area. RET buses in the Rotterdam region did not run, while its trams and metro operated. GVB in Amsterdam and HTM in The Hague operated normally, and NS trains also ran to schedule. Arriva reported no trains in Limburg and said about 15% of its buses in North Brabant were running; EBS cancelled all morning services before assessing whether buses could resume later in the day. Carriers advised passengers to check travel planners shortly before travelling.