Strikes in the regional transport sector in the Netherlands have been suspended for two weeks after unions FNV and CNV received a letter from employer organizations indicating a willingness to resume negotiations regarding a collective labor agreement (CAO) for employees. The unions reported that the renewed discussions prompted them to call off planned strikes, including one scheduled for tomorrow. The industrial action began in early October, with weekly strikes initiated due to stalled CAO negotiations, impacting services from companies like Arriva, Keolis, and Qbuzz, causing disruptions to bus and regional train services across various regions. While an initial invitation to renegotiate was deemed too vague, a subsequent letter received this morning reportedly removed all proposals to worsen the CAO, according to a CNV negotiator. Unions cite “important concrete commitments” in the letter as sufficient grounds to restart negotiations, seeking 9.5 percent salary increases over two years and improved working conditions for senior staff. The Vereniging Werkgevers Openbaar Vervoer (VWOV), the employer’s association for public transport, initiated the latest communication.