Expatica news

Strike: no public transportin Amsterdam on Monday

26 September 2004

AMSTERDAM — Commuters in Amsterdam and Noord Holland province face chaos on Monday as all metros, trams, buses and local ferry services in the capital have been cancelled for the day due to a strike by public transport workers.

Trade union ABVAKABO/FNV has called the stoppage to protest against the Dutch government’s budget cutbacks.

Amsterdam’s public transport company GVB said its regular services will not run from 3am to midnight on Monday.

A GVB spokesman told news agency ANP that 3,500 of the transport authority’s 4,500 workers will participate in Monday’s strike. The strikers are public transport operators and the remaining 1,000 are administrative workers.

The transport company turned down a request to allow partial services so that people could travel to the special memorial concert in the ArenA stadium in Biljmer for much-loved Dutch crooner Andre Hazes.

The concert starts at 6pm and Hazes — who died in hospital last Thursday from a heart attack — will lie in state there to allow his fans to say a final goodbye to him.

The GVB’s Stadsmobiel minibuses will continue to operate as normal. Regular night bus services and the Buiksloterweg ferry will resume again on Monday after midnight. 

The regional public bus service to and around Amsterdam operated by Connexxion will not operate either for the day.

People who use public transport to get to work will have to resort to alternatives methods of transport on Monday, such as taking the car, taxis, trains, walking or cycling.

“During the strike, pedestrians and cyclists can use the west tube of the IJ-tunnel. This particular tube will be closed to motorised vehicles,” the GVB said.

Motorists should not have a problem finding parking on Monday and they won’t face large fines for keeping their car in the same spot too long. Traffic wardens have also decided to answer the union’s call and will not work Monday, newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

NS trains will run as normal, but it is likely services to and from stations in Amsterdam will be packed. Possible routes from home to work and train times can be checked at the train company’s site www.ns.nl.

Other public sector workers are also going on strike in the capital on Monday. There will be no regular rubbish collections in most parts of Amsterdam for the day.

Many district council offices will be closed or will only operate a minimal service on Monday. The main city council office at the Stopera in Waterlooplein will be open for people with urgent business.

A demonstration is being held on Dam Square on Monday morning, with trade union confederation leaders Doekle Terpsta (CNV) and Lodewijk de Waal (FNV) scheduled to speak.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news + Amsterdam strike