Protests around country over pay freeze in medical centres

Netherlands

Members of the FNV trade union have been involved in local action at University Medical Centres (UMCs) in protest at the employers’ “offer” of a pay freeze. After five months of negotiations, employers haven’t shifted at all and are sticking to a 0% wage increase. They are also refusing to negotiate reductions in workloads and measures that would allow older colleagues to retire in a healthy manner. The FNV argues that the employers have the money to fund a pay increase and other initiatives but are more interested in investing in equipment. The FNV argues that the employers are failing to acknowledge the extent to which staff are overworked, with absenteeism high. The union has even offered to go to mediation but the employers have refused. The UMC collective agreement covers 67000 employees in eight centres.

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