Coming Wednesday, July 3, there will be hardly any trams and buses in the morning rush hour in The Hague, according to Omroep West. The RandstadRail between The Hague and Zoetermeer also hardly runs, if at all. HTM employees went on strike that day between 06.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. for a better collective labor agreement.
The strike has been announced by FNV Stadsvervoer and CNV Vakmensen because HTM has let an ultimatum from the unions expire. They demanded a good offer for a new collective labor agreement containing a wage increase, less temporary work and less work pressure. The old collective labor agreement expired in January of this year and applies to 2000 employees.
“We only strike as a last resort and if there is no other option,” says Eric Vermeulen of FNV Stadsvervoer. 'The limit has now been reached. After months of negotiations, the HTM offers far too little wage increase. In addition, the company refuses to make concrete agreements for its employees to reduce the workload to human proportions ”.
The HTM says it is surprised at the report of the strike because they think the negotiations are still ongoing. For this reason, the transport company cannot respond to content. The FNV, in turn, says it is surprised at the attitude of the HTM. "The ultimatum has expired and we are now negotiated. The strike will continue, "said spokesman Brenda Heidinga.
