Netherlands

Concern over growth of self-employment in care sector

The CNV Publieke Zaak trade union has expressed concern over the increase in self-employment in the care sector. It is worried not just about the fact that this undermines collective agreements in the sector but that is raises questions about the quality of care being delivered as well. The union says that some workers might be attracted by the idea of working for themselves but should remember that this means making their own pension arrangements and covering their own sickness benefits. CNV wants to meet with health ministry officials to discuss the trend, noting that the matter has already been discussed with the employers. Read more at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

New 29-month deal for social workers

A new agreement covering the social work sector has been agreed covering the period from 1 November 2007 to 1 March 2010. It includes a 3% pay increase from 1 March 2008 and a further 2.5% from 1 March 2009. There is an end-of-year payment in December worth 3% of salary (minimum €540) plus a one-off payment of €125 in February 2010. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New agreement for mental health sector

ABVAKABLO, CNV Publieke Zaak and Nu’91 have signed a new agreement covering mental health workers employed by GGZ. The 13-month deal runs from 1 March 2008 to 1 April 2009 and includes a 3.25% pay rise from 1 July 2008. There will also be a lump sum payment worth 1% of salary in November 2008. The deal comes after lengthy negotiations since February and the unions and employer will undertake further discussions over measures to improve recruitment, retention and career development in the sector. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL) And at > CNV (NL) And at > NU’91 (NL)

Two-year deal for youth service workers

The 26,000 employees in the youth welfare sector see their pay increase by 3.5% as from 1 May this year with a further rise of 3.0% from 1 May 2009. The new two-year agreement also provides for the integration of the annual lump sum payment so that from 2009 it will be paid as a 13th month salary. In order to make working in the sector more attractive the unions and employers have discussed improved training and career development opportunities. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New collective agreement for childcare workers

ABVAKABO reports that a new collective labour agreement covering nurseries should make working in the sector more attractive. Along with higher pay, more training possibilities and improved career prospects comes there is also an increase in annual leave entitlement. The collective agreement runs from 1 May 2008 to 1 May 2009 with pay increases of 2% on 1 May 2008 and again on 1 January 2009. A lump sum payment worth 0.5% of pay will be paid in October 2008. Leave entitlement rises to 210 hours a year, up by 35 hours with part timers having a pro-rata entitlement. The agreement covers around 65% of nurseries and some 55,000 workers. Read more at > AVAKABO (NL)

Unions recommend new collective agreement in social work sector

After five months of intensive negotiations a new agreement in the social work sector is being recommended by trade unions to their members. The agreement runs from 1 November 2007 to 1 March 2010 and will include two main pay increases of 3% from 1 March 2008 and 2.5% from 1 March 2009. A change in the pay structure will also mean that many workers covered by the agreement will get a 0.5% increase from 1 January 2009. There will be a €125 lump sum payment in February 2010. The agreement includes changes to working hours arrangements for older workers. Those aged 58 can reduce their hours by 10% with a 5% cut in pay while those aged 59 can reduce their hours by 20% with a 7.5% reduction in salary. Those aged 61½ can also reduce their hours by 20% but with no reduction in pay. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

38-month agreement covering University Medical Centres

The 60,000 employees covered by the University Medical Centres collective agreement will see their pay increase in three stages between now and 2010. The 2008 increase of 2.1% will be followed by two increases of 1.955 in March 2009 and March 2010. There will also be increases in the end-of-year payments worth 1% in 2008, 1.5% in 2009 and 1.55% in 2010. The agreement runs from 1 January 2008 to 1 March 2011. Read more at > NU91 (NL)

Municipal dispute finally over

The collective agreement covering municipal workers looks set to be signed by the unions after several months of dispute over one element of the negotiations - compensation for emergency service workers who lose out from new early retirement rules. Although this was only a small element of the overall cost of the deal, the employers refused to budge. Partial compensation of up to €500 a year will be available to those workers affected, some of whom could lose up to €200 a month. Overall the agreement includes pay increases of 2.2% from 1 June 2007 and 1 June 2008 with increases of 0.5% and 1.5% on the annual lump payments. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New agreement covering nursing homes and home care staff

The 360,000 workers in nursing homes and involved in home care will get a 3.25% pay increase from 1 January 2008 and a further increase of 3.0% from 1 March 2009 in a new collective agreement that runs until 1 March 2010. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New two-year agreement in provincial government

The public service unions ABVAKABO and CNV Publieke Zaak have negotiated a new collective agreement covering 13,000 employees of provincial government. Salaries rise by 0.7% backdated to 1 June 2007, 1.5% from 1 June 2008 and 0.4% from 1 January 2009. There are also increases to the end-of-year payments which rise from 4.5% to 6.8% of salary in 2007 and from 6.8% to 8.3% in 2008. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL) And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

Unions agree to commission to resolve stalemate in municipal negotiations

Unions and employers are still at loggerheads over a new collective agreement covering the 180,000 employees in local government. The only stumbling block is the unions’ demand that certain groups of workers be compensated for the impact of tax rules on their early retirement pensions. Both sides have now agreed that an independent commission be called in to recommend a solution. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL) And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

Unions take initiative to resolve municipal dispute

The unions in the municipal sector, ABVAKABO, CNV Publieke Zaak and CMHF are putting forward a compromise to try to end the long-running dispute over the new collective agreement. The proposal is to accept a slightly lower overall pay increase - 6.35% instead of 6.4% - in order that the local authority employers will take action to compensate workers who lose between €100 and €180 a month of their early retirement benefits as a result of tax rules. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL) And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

Ten thousand training places in social care

The trade unions in the care sector have secured an agreement that the government will fund 10,000 new training places in social care institutions in 2008. The unions had been pushing for increased training in order to improve the quality of care and the government agreed the €235 million funding earlier this year. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New agreement in energy sector

The ABVAKABO, CNV Publieke Zaak and VMHP-N trade unions have signed a new collective agreement with the WENb energy employers’ organisation. The new agreement replaces the previously separate agreements covering production and distribution in the sector. The agreement runs from 1 June 2007 to 1 July 2009 and includes pay increases of 2.5% from 1 June 2007 and 2.8% from 1 June 2008. There will also be lump sum payments worth 0.5% of salary in each year. From 2009 the lump sum payments will be linked to company results. Read more at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

Municipal negotiations still unresolved

A new collective agreement for the municipal sector has still not been signed as unions and employers fail to agree over one final element of the deal. The three trade unions in local government, ABVAKABO, CNV Publieke Zaak and CMHF, want increased compensation for ambulance workers and firefighters because of tax rules that hit their early retirement pensions. ABVAKABO negotiator Peter Wiechmann said he thought the employers’ position was bizarre because the unions’ demand would only add 0.05% to the overall wage bill. The unions are consulting with their members over what action they should take. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

No agreement in municipal sector negotiations

Negotiations between the local government employers and the three trade unions (ABVAKABO, CNV Publieke Zaak and CMHF) will resume later this month following a failure to agree over three key points. The two sides had resolved a number of issues including an agreed 6.4% pay increase over two years. However, the unions are reluctant to move on working hours while the employers are refusing to agree union demands on incapacitated workers and compensation for higher taxes for workers. Employers want to relax the current rules that regulate when local government workers increase their working week from 36 to 40 hours. The unions say they might agree to this if the employers ensure that this only a voluntary basis and if they concede the other two points. The unions have proposed a new insurance system to protect the income of workers who are assessed as between 35% and 80% incapacitated. The employers say they will back the proposal if the unions agree to greater flexibility in extending working hours and drop their demand for the tax compensation. The taxation issue affects firefighters and ambulance staff affected by new early retirement rules and the unions want the employers to compensate these workers from the impact of taxation rules that reduce their net pay. The unions are now consulting with their members in the lead up to the next negotiations. Read more at >ABVAKABO (NL) And at >CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

New two-year in waste and environmental services sector

Public services union ABVAKABO has signed a collective agreement for the waste and environmental services sector covering the two-year period from 1 May 2007 to 30 April 2009. Pay increases of 2.3% will be implemented in both years on 1st May. There will also be a lump sum payment of 2.5% of salary (up from 2.0%) in 2007 but the 2008 payment will be performance-related and will be between a minimum of 2% and maximum of 3.5%. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

Civil service deal finally agreed

After several months of industrial action a new collective agreement covering the civil service was finalised in April. It is a four-year agreement that provides for a 13.2% increase in pay over the four years. The increase for 2007 will be backdated to 1 January 2007 and will be 3.6% of 3.9% depending on the employee’s pay scale. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Unions take RWE to court

Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaak are taking legal action against the energy multinational RWE. The company is taking on workers at two of its Dutch gas subsidiaries, Haarlemmermeergas and Obragas, on poorer pay and conditions, including a 40-hour instead of 38-hour working week, than those specified in the sectoral collective labour agreement. Read more at > Abvakabo (NL) And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)

New collective agreement for social welfare services

Employees covered by the social welfare services collective labour agreement will get a 2% pay increase from 1 May and a further 1% from 1 January 2008. The agreement also introduces new job security measures for all employees. Inflation in the Netherlands was 1.9% in the year to March. Read more at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL) And at > Abvakabo (NL)

Civil servants’ action enters 12th week

Civil service unions continued their industrial action over pay into April and a 12th week of strikes and industrial action. A strike of tax workers took place on 2 April followed by a work to rule and demonstrations across the Netherlands. Prison service workers were also involved in action at the beginning of the month. The unions are claiming a 2.5% pay increase and compensation for increased social insurance payments. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

Civil service action continues with customs staff in Rotterdam

A work-to-rule by customs staff in Rotterdam is the latest action by civil servants in support of their 2.5% pay claim. The 24-hour action will include a demonstration in Rotterdam called by the four unions involved in the pay dispute - ABVAKABO, CNV, CMHF and AC. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

Firefighters get new agreement on 48-hour week

Firefighters in the Netherlands are now in negotiations over the introduction of a 48-hour week following successful legal action. This will mean a six-hour reduction from the existing 54-hour week without a reduction in pay or other entitlements. The agreement is, in fact, backdated with compensation for any weeks since June 2006 when firefighters have worked over 48 hours. Unions and employers will have until the end of 2007 to introduce new rosters. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New 22-month collective agreement for doctors

ABVAKABO has negotiated a new collective agreement for doctors (general practitioners) which runs from 1 March 2007 to 1 January 2009. The agreement includes a 4.75% increase in pay, implemented as a 2% increase on 1 July 2007 and a 2.75% increase on 1 January 2008. Doctors will also get a lump sum worth 1% of pay on 1 December 2007. The agreement also means that from 2008 doctors will be entitled to 24 hours of special leave to deal with caring issues or for education. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

New agreement for mental health sector

On 31 January unions in the mental health sector concluded a new agreement with employers that runs from 1 September 2006 to 29 February 2008. This includes a 2% pay increase from 1 April 2007, a 0.5% increase on the end-of-year payment in December and a reduction in pension contributions as the share of contributions between employees and employers is changed with employees covering 52% rather than 56% of the total. Inflation in the year to December 2006 was 1.1%. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

Pay deal in nursing homes just ahead of inflation

The 225,000 workers covered by the nursing and care homes collective agreement negotiated by the ABVAKABO public service union will get a 1.5% pay increase backdated to 1 January 2006. The agreement runs from 1 January 2006 to 1 January 2007 and includes a 0.5% lump sum payment as well. This lump will be converted into an employer contribution to the “levensloop” arrangement which allows employees to save up working time to be taken at a later date and was introduced to compensate for removal of early retirement rights. Inflation in the Netherlands is currently 1.1%. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)

Call for information campaign over violence against ambulance workers

The CNV public service union is calling for health employers and the government to join in an information campaign highlighting the increasing violence against ambulance workers. The call comes following an attack on an ambulance worker in Amsterdam at the weekend. The union argues that the campaign should explain how ambulance workers often need time to treat people urgently where they are rather than just rushing them to hospital. Read more at > nieuwszicht news website (NL)

Two-year agreement signed in hospital sector

Employers and unions have signed a new two-year agreement covering hospital workers. It runs from 1 January 2006 to 1 February 2008. This year’s pay increase will be 1.75%, backdated to April, and the increase next year will be 0.5% from 1 June 2006. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NE)

New 23-month agreement for social workers

The ABVAKABO and CNV unions have negotiated a new collective agreement covering social workers with the local authority employers’ organisation. The agreement runs from 1 January 2006 to 1 November 2007. Pay increases during this period will be 1.1% (backdated to 1.1.06), 1.1% from 1 January 2007 and 0.6% from 1 July 2007. Inflation was 1.3% in the year to May 2006. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NE)

Pay settlement for museum workers

After a long-running dispute, around 1,900 workers are now covered by a new collective agreement running from 1 January 2005 to 1 April 2007. A lump sum payment worth 1.5% of annual pay was awarded for 2005 and the 2006 pay increase will be 1.5% with a further rise of 0.25%. There will be further talks over achieving a more flexible and balanced rostering of workers. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Disabled care workers get new agreement

After a lengthy campaign of strikes and demonstrations workers in the disabled care sector have the chance to vote on a new collective agreement. This is a wide-ranging agreement that covers issues such as workloads and quality of work. It runs from 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2007 with pay increases of 1% (December 2005), 1.8% (January 2006) and 1% (January 2007) with a 400 euro lump sum for full-time workers in June 2006. Hospital workers are also being asked to vote on a new 25-month agreement beginning from 1 January 2006 which would see pay increase by 1.75% in April 2006 and by 1.4% in April 2007. Read more at > ABVAKABO And at > ABVAKABO

Two-year deal in the waste sector

A new two-year agreement covering the waste and environment sector has been agreed with a 1.25% pay increase in April of 2006 and April 2007. The agreement runs until 1 May 2007 and includes the provision for 50 work placements for the young unemployed. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Disabled care workers continue action

Public services union ABVAKABO is continuing its campaign for an improved collective agreement for disabled care workers, as reported in the last issue of epsucob@NEWS. Following last month’s demonstration the union has organised a series of one-hour stoppages starting in Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. The union stresses that the primary aim is not higher pay but a collective agreement that tackles heavy workloads and addresses personal development among other issues. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Disabled care workers demonstrate over new agreement

Over 200 workers in the disabled care sector braved wind and rain on Friday 17 February to show the support for a new collective agreement in the sector. The unions involved, ABVAKABO and CNV are pressing for talks with the employers so that progress can be made. Read more at >ABVAKABO

Unions set up youth network

Unions in the FNV federation have set up a youth network for members under 35. Two of the first initiatives of the network will be to train young members in negotiating improvements in working conditions and in campaigning for the right to be paid the national minimum wage at 18 years of age rather than at the current age of 23. Read more at >FNV And in Dutch at >FNV

Childcare and energy agreements

Latest collective bargaining news from the ABVAKABO website provides details on two agreements that stretch into 2007. Childcare workers will get three pay increases during their 16-month agreement which runs from 1 January 2006 to 30 April 2007. The increases are 1% in April 2006, 0.75% in October and then 0.25% in January 2007. In electricity distribution and production there is a longer deal. Although only agreed earlier this month it effectively runs from 1 January 2005 (or 1 April 2005 for the distribution sector) to 1 June 2007. The three pay increases take place in April 2005, April 2006 and January 2007 and are worth 1.25%, 1.5% and 0.25%. Read more at > ABVAKABO And > ABVAKABO

Home care sector agreement

A new collective agreement has been concluded for the 130,000 workers in the home care sector. It is backdated to 1 January 2005 and runs until 1 October 2006. It includes a 0.8% increase from 1 December 2005 and a further 1% increase from 1 June 2006. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Job cuts and early retirement background to public sector agreement

The industrial relations observatory EIRO reports on the cutbacks to public sector jobs and changes to retirement provision that formed that background to this year’s public sector negotiations. There are fears that if job cuts continued on their current trends service quality will be undermined while there is also concern that the public services are failing to recruit younger workers. Read more at > EIRO

Union puts collective bargaining information on the web

ABVAKABO has redesigned its website and set up new pages which cover news and information on all the collective agreements which is negotiates. You can find out the latest news on collective bargaining or go straight to a list of all the agreements to get details on the one that interests you. If you already have something like this on your union website or are planning a similar re-design please let us know. See the collective bargaining news page at > ABVAKABO And the list of agreements at > ABVAKABO

Unions win new deal in local government

The long-running dispute in the local government sector is over with a new collective agreement signed on 1 September. The agreement, backdated to 1 April 2004 will run until 1 December 2005 and will include a 1% pay increase effective from 1 June 2005 for the 190,000 workers in the sector. ABVAKABO negotiator Peter Wiechmann said that the long period of strike action was not in vain and an agreement wouldn’t have been reached without it. Further details of the agreement will be circulated to the epsucob@ network shortly. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Further action in municipal sector

The dispute over pay in local government in the Netherlands has continued over the summer. Cleaners and street sweepers took a week’s strike action in support of a higher pay claim while firefighters have also joined the dispute again, saying they will only respond to emergency calls. Read the news report in English at > Bloomberg Read more at > ABVAKABO

New collective agreement in child welfare sector

After several months of negotiations ABVAKABO FNV and the other unions in the sector (CNV public matter and FBZ) have concluded a new agreement covering child welfare workers. The agreement runs from 1 January to 31 December 2005. The salary increase of 1.5 percent will be paid as 1.0 percent from 1 January 2005 and 0.5 per cent from 1 September. Along with pensions and sick pay there are two other important parts of the agreement covering workloads and employer contributions of at least a sixth of the share of the costs of nursery spaces. Read more at > ABVAKABO

Municipal sector industrial action continues over the summer

The campaign to win an improved pay offer from local government employers in the Netherlands will continue over the summer. Fire service employees in Nijmegen, Utrecht and Amsterdam will all being working at a minimum level of service at various points over the coming weeks. Read more at > ABVAKABO