# Rail union asks NS to rethink social safety changes

> FNV Spoor says it is unwise for NS to change how it deploys staff for the safety of employees and travellers while its safety and service teams are short of people.

Society · published 2026-10-23 05:08 · https://nlnow.nl/a/rail-union-urges-ns-to-rethink-social-safety-changes/

FNV Spoor has asked NS to reconsider its decision to change how it deploys staff for social safety. The union wrote to NS president-director Wouter Koolmees. It wants a substantive reply within two weeks and a meeting with the unions within four weeks.

The union says NS still has more than 200 vacancies in its Veiligheid & Service (V&S) teams. It says the minimum of 740 fully authorised V&S employees, agreed in 2023, has not been reached.

The social safety committee of FNV Spoor says it is dismayed by NS's decision. "More safety starts with enough people," the union says. It calls it unwise to make big changes to deployment while V&S remains short of staff.

FNV Spoor fears more pressure on staff while staffing is insufficient. It says this could mean a heavier workload, more psychosocial strain and too little support for colleagues who face aggression. In the union's view, this puts the safety of both employees and travellers under pressure.

According to the union's account of the NS letter, NS wants to place mobile control teams at six locations, using 75 new staff. It also plans 25 supervisors (toezichthouders) at V&S and wants to cut the fixed back-up stations from 19 to 12.

## Background

- **FNV Spoor (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging Spoor)**: FNV Spoor is the rail sector branch of FNV, the Dutch federation of trade unions, and represents employees in the Dutch railway sector, including staff of NS. It negotiates with railway employers on pay and working conditions and speaks for staff on matters such as deployment and safety. It matters because it is one of the main channels through which rail workers' concerns reach the management of NS and other rail companies.
- **Veiligheid & Service**: Veiligheid & Service is a team of NS staff who work at stations and on trains to support passenger safety and help travellers. It is a visible part of NS's on-board and station presence, alongside other staff roles. The number of fully authorised V&S employees, and how they are deployed, is a recurring topic in discussions about safety on Dutch trains.

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