The NS invites the unions to the collective labor agreement table to continue negotiations. The company is willing to increase wages retroactively from March of this year by 3.25 percent. Next March, the 17,500 employees would receive another 2.75 percent.
NS staff are striking for the third time in a week on Friday due to dissatisfaction with the rail company’s collective labor agreement proposals.
The NS is now offering a wage increase of 3.25 percent for this year. Previously, that was 2.55 percent. Furthermore, the NS is willing to look into a new scheme so that employees can stop working earlier. NS staff report struggling with heavy workloads and aggression on the trains.
The rail company and the unions have been at odds for months. After 4.5 months of negotiations, both parties do not agree on a new collective labor agreement.
The unions are demanding a substantial wage increase. They believe that NS staff should be compensated for the high inflation.