AMSTERDAM, Aug 26 – Dutch railway workers went on strike in the country’s most populous western part on Friday, seeking pay rises to offset soaring inflation.
Rail operator NS said this means traffic will be disrupted in other parts of the Netherlands, including on international routes to Belgium.
“Use other transportation or postpone your trip. Replacement buses cannot circulate,” he said on his website.
The 24-hour action is the second in three days, following a first strike in the country’s northern region on Wednesday. The unions are protesting the suspension of the collective agreement negotiations with the management, in which they asked for an increase in wages. Consumer prices in the Netherlands are expected to increase by 9.9% in 2022 and are forecast to rise by 4.3% next year.
The unions – FNV, VVMC and CNV – plan three more 24-hour strikes: Monday in the northwest of the country, Tuesday in the center of the Netherlands and Wednesday in the southeast.