Rail Strike to Cause Widespread Cancellations in the Netherlands
A rail strike planned for Friday is expected to cause widespread train cancellations across the Netherlands.
Dutch rail strike
According to the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, railway workers’ unions will go on strike across the Netherlands on Friday, 6th June 2025.
The two unions, VVMC and FNV Spoor, are currently negotiating with the management of the national rail company NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) over a new collective labour agreement but remain dissatisfied with the offer presented to them so far.
The talks, ongoing since January, collapsed last month after the unions deemed the additional salary increase offered by NS to workers insufficient.
NS Intercity train at Utrecht CS, the busiest railway station in the Netherlands. ©AndyBTravels
About the strike
To pressure NS into offering higher wages, rail workers will strike in Utrecht, a major city in the heart of the Netherlands and the country’s main railway hub.
According to an NS spokesperson, this means that “train services will be suspended across almost the entire Netherlands.”
The spokesperson explained: “Almost all trains pass through Utrecht, many of our coordinating departments are also located there.
“If people go on strike there, we can no longer operate trains responsibly.”
The railway workers’ unions have warned that the strike on Friday will be the first in a series of rail strikes if NS does not meet their demands.
Only trains operated by NS will be affected by the strike on Friday, while regional trains run by private operators like Arriva in the north of the Netherlands will continue to operate normally.
Trains by private operators such as Arriva are expected to run according to schedule. ©AndyBTravels
Demands
The Dutch railway workers’ unions, with VVMC as the largest representing 5,700 members, are demanding a salary increase of 7 to 8% per year to offset inflation and loss of purchasing power, while NS has offered a pay rise of 5.75% spread over 27 months, which amounts to only about 2.55% per year.
Both unions also want better employment conditions and rules that apply equally to all workers.
As an example, the unions mentioned that train personnel such as drivers or conductors can opt out of night shifts once they reach the age of 50, whereas security workers have this limit at 57 years, and engineers are required to work night shifts until retirement age.
The unions also highlighted internal regulations that let office workers reduce their working hours starting at age 50, while train drivers and conductors can only do so from age 55.
VVMC union official Wim Eilert said: “Train personnel have a tough job, but you can’t really say the same about those working in an office.”
Rail strikes across Europe
2025 is turning out to be a year full of railway strikes across Europe, as in many countries, rail workers unions are at loggerheads with national train companies over pay and labour conditions.
Among others, railway workers in France, Spain, Italy have already gone on strike this year, although it is Belgium where industrial action has had the greatest impact on train traffic so far.
Conclusion
Dutch rail workers will go on strike on Friday, 6th of June 2025, after unions representing them failed to reach an agreement with the national railway company NS over a new collective labour contract.
The rail strike will be centred on Utrecht, but since this city is at the heart of the Dutch railway network, trains across the entire country are expected to be cancelled, with an NS spokesman saying services will likely be suspended throughout the Netherlands.
Dutch railway workers’ unions have warned that this is only the first in a series of strikes, and they will continue as long as their demands for better pay and working conditions remain unmet.
