Netherlands: possible weekly strikes on regional buses and trains from 12 October 2026 (ultimatum expires 7 October)

The unions FNV and CNV have given the Dutch regional transport employers' association VWOV an ultimatum that expires at 12:00 on Wednesday 7 October 2026. If it is not met, they will call one strike day a week from Monday 12 October until Christmas, announcing each day only shortly in advance. More than 97% of members voted for action after eight rounds of talks since March failed.

What to expect: the agreement covers about 13,000 staff at the regional operators — Arriva, Transdev (Connexxion, Hermes), Keolis, Qbuzz and EBS — so a strike day would stop most regional buses outside the big cities and the regional train lines these companies run (for example Arriva's lines in Limburg, Friesland and Groningen and Keolis's in Overijssel). City transport in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague (GVB, RET, HTM) and NS trains are not covered and would run normally. No strike day has been set yet; this page will be updated when the ultimatum expires and when dates are announced.

Why: the unions want the employers to drop proposals they say worsen rosters and breaks, address workload, protect older workers, give equal terms to agency staff and pay a 6% rise; VWOV calls its offer fair and says it only redistributes existing arrangements.