Train strikes cause major disruptions across Netherlands

By Abdullah Asiran

ROTTERDAM (AA) - A planned full-day strike on Dutch railways severely affected passengers across the Netherlands on Friday.

Upon calls from various unions, including the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV), the largest Dutch trade union, railway workers went on a 24-hour strike.

Due to the walkout, all train services, except for some services on the Amsterdam-Schiphol line, were cancelled.

The strike action came after the unions received negative response to their demands for a pay rise.

Railways workers are expected to stage another strike action on June 10 in southern and western parts of the country.

Trade unions say the annual 2.55% pay increase offered to Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) workers is not enough due to rising inflation and falling purchasing power in the country.