Dutch railway workers go on strike

By Abdullah Asiran

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands (AA) - Workers at state-owned Dutch railway company NS on Wednesday went on strike amid a dispute over pay raises.

The 24-hour strike, which started in the northern Netherlands at the call of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions and other unions, will continue as a series of rolling strikes in various parts of the country through next Wednesday.

Workers will strike for 24 hours on Friday in the western region of the country, where major cities such as Rotterdam and The Hague are located, followed on Monday with the region of the capital Amsterdam, in cities in the middle of the country on Tuesday, and in the eastern and northern regions on Wednesday.

The unions are demanding that the monthly salary of NS workers be increased by €100 ($99) along with a one-time €600 payout due to rising inflation and falling purchasing power in the country.

However, the company said that it is still struggling to recover from coronavirus lockdowns.

The Federation of Dutch Trade Unions warned that a nationwide strike would follow if NS does not present a "more acceptable" offer by the end of this month.