Following the rejection by trade union members of an agreed reorganisation plan for the state-owned Dutch Railways (NS) in mid-March 2001, an arbitration committee was convened, which recommended postponing introduction of a controversial new duty roster. NS management refused to do so, and the unions responded by calling for strikes. The Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management was still seeking a solution in early April.
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Following the rejection by trade union members of an agreed reorganisation plan for the state-owned Dutch Railways (NS) in mid-March 2001, an arbitration committee was convened, which recommended postponing introduction of a controversial new duty roster. NS management refused to do so, and the unions responded by calling for strikes. The Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management was still seeking a solution in early April.
In mid-March 2001, trade union members at Dutch Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, NS) rejected a latest reorganisation proposal put forward jointly by management and the main trade unions at the company - the transport unions affiliated to the Dutch Trade Union Federation (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging, FNV) and the Christian Trade Union Federation (Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond, CNV) and the independent railway workers' union (Federatieve Spoorweg Vakvereniging, FSV) (NL0102125F). The independent Trade Union for Engine Drivers and Conductors (Vakvereniging voor Machinisten en Conducteurs, VVMC) had walked out of negotiations with management at an earlier stage. The reorganisation plan provides for a much-contested new duty roster, scheduled to take effect on 10 June 2001, which entails assigning personnel to fixed routes.
NS's current problems are compounded by growing dissatisfaction amongst travellers and members of parliament about the poor level of service, manifested in delays and crowded trains during rush hours. NS employees blame management's policy, which they believe does not allow for adequate investments in equipment and measures to attract new employees. A recent employee survey revealed that 85% of the company's staff no longer have confidence in management's policy.
Given the impasse at NS, the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Tineke Netelenbos, called in an arbitration committee, consisting of Hans Blankert, a former chair of the VNO-NCW employers' organisation, and Johan Stekelenburg, a former chair of FNV. However, NS management rejected the committee's proposal – which carried the same weight as a recommendation – to postpone introduction of the new duty roster until such time as consultation within the company has been restarted. In response to management's rejection, the arbitration committee abandoned its task.
CNV called upon the courts to rule as to whether management was acting lawfully in its quest to go ahead with implementation of the new duty roster as planned, despite the current situation and the recommendation issued by the arbitration committee. The courts ruled in favour of NS management, concurring with its assertion that there is insufficient time to adjust the planned introduction of the new roster. Given the extent to which the conflict has now escalated, the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management – the sole shareholder in NS – has decided to make an active intervention. She cut short a trip to China by half a day and assigned a group of government officials with the difficult task of finding plausible solutions to resolve the row over the new duty roster. In April, she intends to discuss the situation with the supervisory and management boards at NS. Speed is of the essence - CNV and the FNV-affiliated Allied Unions (FNV Bondgenoten) are preparing for further industrial action, while VVMC has already called for a nationwide strike.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2001), Rail unions threaten strikes as arbitration fails, article.
