Rail travel in the eastern and northwestern Netherlands will face significant disruptions Tuesday as unions have announced a new strike after rejecting the latest wage offer from NS (Dutch Railways) management. The strike will be the fourth in a series of actions taken by unions to press for better pay and working conditions.

The decision to strike was made Monday afternoon after unions deemed the offer insufficient following a consultation with NS. The unions, including VVMC and FNV Spoor, have been in a months-long dispute with NS over the collective labor agreement, demanding wage increases and improved working conditions.

NS management presented a slightly improved wage offer on Friday, during the last strike day, primarily aimed at compensating employees for inflation. While management views this as a starting point for further negotiations, the major unions find it inadequate. The smaller union CNV considered the offer a basis for further negotiation, scheduled for Tuesday.

The strike on Tuesday will affect train services in the regions of Arnhem, Deventer, Ede-Wageningen, Enschede, Hengelo, Nijmegen, Zutphen, Alkmaar, Almere, Amsterdam, Den Helder, Haarlem, Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Zaandam, and Schiphol.

NS officials stated they could not immediately assess the full impact of the strike on train traffic. However, based on previous strikes, it is anticipated that most trains will not operate in the affected areas.