Netherlands
Background information on industrial relations in Netherlands
- 19 Dec 2003
Netherlands: Debate over improving productivity through innovation<#PDF_LINK>In 2003, for the third consecutive year, the Dutch economy continues to lag behind the EU as a whole. Attention is increasingly turning to improved labour productivity as a solution, especially as continuing wage moderation does not seem to be having the desired effect. A wave of relocations of high-quality production and research and development from the Netherlands to other countries has fuelled the debate, which has been prominent during 2003. The social partners and government alike see improving the Dutch climate of innovationas one of the most important factors in the drive to raise productivity. However, policy on innovation has yet to crystallise.
- 16 Dec 2003
Netherlands: Thematic feature - redundancies and redundancy costs<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the procedures and costs involved in collective redundancies in the Netherlands, as well as current trends and debate in this area, as at November 2003.
- 09 Dec 2003
Netherlands: Minister of Social Affairs calls for end to specific gender equality portfolio<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Emancipation Policy, Aart Jan de Geus, stated that he was keen to drop the current specific government policy portfolio for gender equality. Instead, gender issues should be mainstreamed into other policy areas. The Minister asserted that Dutch women now have equality in many areas, though problems persist. Various women’s organisations have responded sceptically to the Minister's statements.
- 19 Nov 2003
Netherlands: Thematic feature - social partner involvement in the 2003 NAP<#PDF_LINK>This article examines social partner involvement in the preparation of the Netherlands' 2003 National Action Plan for employment drawn up in response to the EU Employment Guidelines.
- 11 Nov 2003
Netherlands: FNV members vote in favour of social agreement<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, it was announced that a majority of members of the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV) voting in a referendum had approved asocial agreementreached by the government, trade unions and employers’ organisations in October. The agreement includes a freeze in collectively agreed wages during 2004.
- 29 Oct 2003
Netherlands: Pay freeze agreed for 2004-5<#PDF_LINK>In October 2003, the Dutch government and social partners agreed on a comprehensive set of measures to confront the current economic recession. One of the key measures is a freeze in collectively agreed wages during 2004 and 2005, in exchange for the government dropping a number of cost-cutting plans. Recent figures from the Labour Inspectorate indicate that pay increases have already slowed considerably in 2003.
- 25 Oct 2003
Netherlands: Thematic feature - works councils and other workplace employee representation and participation structures<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the Dutch situation, as of September 2003, with regard to works councils and similar workplace employee representation and participation structures. It looks at the regulatory framework, statistical data, evidence on practice and the views of the social partners.
- 08 Oct 2003
Netherlands: Private ambulance staff take industrial action<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, private ambulance staff in the Netherlands started industrial action aimed at having their retirement age cut from 59 to 55, in line with public ambulance service employees. Employers unsuccessfully challenged the action in the courts and in September made a final offer aimed at resolving the dispute.
- 30 Sep 2003
Netherlands: Unions respond to public sector cutbacks<#PDF_LINK>In its June 2003 coalition agreement, the Netherlands' new government announced major spending cuts affecting government departments, which will result in public sector job losses and wage restraint. Trade unions representing civil servants are fiercely opposed to the plans and question how the proposed job cuts can be consistent with the government's promises on improved public safety, care and education. The unions also claim that the planned wage restraint will further damage the public sector's ability to recruit and retain suitable qualified staff.
- 12 Sep 2003
Netherlands: Thematic feature - implementation of the EU framework equal treatment Directive<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the Dutch situation, as of August 2003, with regard to the implementation and impact of the 2000 EU Directive establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, which seeks to combat discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.
- 26 Aug 2003
Netherlands: Social partners oppose proposed changes to dismissals law<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, the Dutch social partners, represented on the bipartite Labour Foundation, issued an opinion opposing a proposal for the reform of dismissals law put forward by a government-appointed committee. The committee proposed abolishing the system whereby dismissals must be approved in advance by a public authority. The Foundation argues that the objections raised by the committee do not outweigh the advantages of the present system, which keeps costs in check and offers the parties involved a high degree of certainty and security.
- 05 Aug 2003
Netherlands: Union members receive better redundancy terms<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, a trade union affiliated to the Dutch Christian Trade Union Federation (CNV) negotiated extra benefits for its own members in a redundancy agreement with the Getronics IT company. A similar deal was reached in 2002 by an affiliate of the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV) at Ballast Nedam, the construction firm. Both CNV and FNV expect more such agreements in future.
- 05 Aug 2003
Netherlands: Cutbacks at agricultural employers' organisation<#PDF_LINK>The employers’ organisation for the Dutch agriculture and horticulture sector, LTO Nederland, is to make a quarter of its staff redundant, it was announced in summer 2003. The factors behind the move include a continuing decline in the number of farmers and the fact that fewer of them are joining LTO Nederland.
- 29 Jul 2003
Netherlands: Collectively agreed childcare provision under pressure<#PDF_LINK>At the end of 2002, three-quarters of Dutch employees were covered by collective agreements containing childcare arrangements. However, in 2003, in anticipation of new childcare provision legislation due to come into force in 2005, employers are cutting back the proportion of childcare costs that they meet under such agreements. At the same time, the cost of childcare is increasing as market forces take hold in the childcare sector and labour costs rise because of the abolition of state-subsidised employment and wage increases for regular staff.
- 28 Jul 2003
Netherlands: Industrial relations in agriculture examined<#PDF_LINK>Agriculture remains an important part of the Dutch economy, accounting for around 10% of GDP . The sector is currently undergoing major changes in terms of production, markets and technology, with important implications for employment. This article examines industrial relations in agriculture, looking at the social partners, the unique system of bipartite commodity boards, collective bargaining and the key issues of casual labour and health and safety.
- 22 Jul 2003
Netherlands: Thematic feature - posted workers<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the Dutch situation, as of June 2003, with regard to: legislation and collective bargaining on the pay and conditions of posted workers (ie workers from one EU Member State posted by their employer to work in another); the number of such posted workers; and the views of the social partners and government on the issue.
- 09 Jul 2003
Netherlands: FNV forced to restructure<#PDF_LINK>In June 2003, the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV) decided on major cutbacks and restructuring as a result of its poor financial position. Its budget is to be cut by a quarter, activities are to be reduced (notably at regional level) and up to 90 out of 240 jobs may be lost.
- 27 Jun 2003
Netherlands: Deadlock on occupational pensions in company bargaining<#PDF_LINK>In the 2003 Dutch collective bargaining round, occupational pension issues have led to a deadlock in negotiations at a number of major companies, notably in financial services and industry. Employers want to reform their pension schemes radically, as shrinking capital reserves and increasing numbers of claimants have depleted their funds. The Akzo Nobel chemicals group even wants to hive off its pension fund, making it independent. The trade unions are fiercely opposed to this plan and other more drastic austerity measures, but are increasingly prepared to accept a greater use of average-salary rather than final-salary schemes and a temporary suspension of pensions indexation.
- 13 Jun 2003
Netherlands: New government to make social security cutbacks<#PDF_LINK>In May 2003, a new coalition government of the Christian Democrats and two liberal parties, VVD and D66, took office in the Netherlands. The parties' coalition agreement provides for major cutbacks in public spending, largely targeted on social security expenditure. The trade unions are fiercely opposed to the proposed measures.
- 22 May 2003
Netherlands: Major controversy breaks out over top pay<#PDF_LINK>In early 2003, there has been a widespread public outcry in the Netherlands about what are perceived as excessive increases in the remuneration of senior managers and directors, at a time of economic downturn, poor company results and centrally agreed wage restraint fornormalworkers. In April, the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV) withdrew, in protest, from central consultations with employers' organisations and the government, stating that it cannotsellwage moderation to its members if senior management ignores it, and calling on the VNO-NCW employers' organisation to act to limit top pay rises. VNO-NCW claims that it is powerless in the face of international competition. The government is planning some measures in this area, while legislation on top pay disclosure, with a role for works councils, has been proposed in parliament by the opposition Green Left party.
- 07 May 2003
Netherlands: No agreement yet on new coalition government<#PDF_LINK>Following the breakdown of discussions aimed at the formation of a centre-left coalition government in April 2003, the largest party in the Dutch parliament, the Christian Democrats (CDA), is now trying to put together a centre-right government. The trade unions had been extremely unhappy about a public finances agreement reached during the abortive talks on a centre-left coalition, so they are likely to be even less enthusiastic about the proposals of any centre-right coalition. Employers' representatives, by contrast, are in favour of the formation of a centre-right government.
- 01 May 2003
Netherlands: SER to advise government on an integrated lifelong working time and leave scheme<#PDF_LINK>In spring 2003, the Netherlands' tripartite advisory Social and Economic Council (SER) has been asked by the government to draw up recommendations for alife-span regulation- an integrated set of measures aimed at enabling workers to manage their working time and leave over their entire working lives so as to better balance their work and family/care responsibilities. This is an issue of considerable debate at present, with the NYFER research institute recently proposing the creation of a single lifelong scheme for all types of leave and time off, based on an individual voucher system with employer and government contributions.
- 30 Apr 2003
Netherlands: New collective agreement concluded for teaching staff<#PDF_LINK>In April 2003, following difficult negotiations, a new collective agreement for the Dutch primary and secondary education sector was concluded by the Minister of Education and the trade unions representing civil servants and teaching staff. One of the main issues that the new agreement seeks to address is the shortage of teaching staff that has affected the sector in previous years. However, there has been no major general increase in wage levels, which lag behind both those for both teachers in other countries and other highly-qualified workers in the Netherlands.
- 09 Apr 2003
Netherlands: Occupational pensions are prominent issue in bargaining<#PDF_LINK>As the Netherlands' 2003 collective bargaining gets under way, the issue of occupational pensions has been prominent in negotiations, notably in the light engineering industry and at the Philips electronics group.
- 07 Apr 2003
Netherlands: Debate over healthcare system reform<#PDF_LINK>After 20 years of relative political inaction, pressure exerted by the recent spiralling costs of healthcare appears to have awakened broad support for fundamental reform of the Dutch system of medical expenses insurance and the organisation and structure of healthcare. In talks over the formation of a new coalition government, an agreement in principle was reached in March 2003 on the introduction of a new system in 2006. Earlier, in 2000 the tripartite advisory Social and Economic Council had issued to the former government a unanimous recommendation on reform of the system. However, agreement - both between the negotiators in the coalition talks and between the social partners - is fragile, and several major differences of opinion have yet to be resolved.
- 01 Apr 2003
Netherlands: 2002 Annual Review for the Netherlands<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2002's main developments in industrial relations in the Netherlands.
- 13 Mar 2003
Netherlands: First agreements follow union federations' wage recommendation<#PDF_LINK>The Netherlands' first collective agreements for 2003, signed in February, have followed the 2.5% wage increase recommended by the main trade union confederations, FNV and CNV. However, there are differences of opinion as to whether the 2.5% is a minimum or maximum limit, while there is debate among the social partners and political parties as to how moderation can be maintained in the coming years.
- 12 Mar 2003
Netherlands: Competition mounts between trade unions<#PDF_LINK>During 2002, the normal cooperation between Dutch trade union movement came under pressure from an increasing number of conflicts over both access to collective bargaining and unity in concluding collective agreements. Trade unions are increasingly seeking to enhance their own distinctive profiles, increasing rivalry between them, while the established unions are facing greater competition from newer independent organisations.
- 07 Mar 2003
Netherlands: Advocate-General finds Dutch health and safety legislation breaches EU law<#PDF_LINK>The Dutch model of occupational health services may be due for far-reaching revision, following the January 2003 opinion of the Advocate-General of the European Court of Justice in a case brought by the European Commission against the Netherlands. The Advocate-General's opinion - generally followed by the Court - stated that Article 14 of the Dutch Working Conditions Act is in conflict with the provisions on protective and preventive services in the 1989 health and safety framework Directive. The Dutch law allows companies to choose between using internal and external experts to provide such services, but the Advocate-General stated that the Directive gives priority to the former.
- 12 Feb 2003
Netherlands: Social partners respond to election outcome<#PDF_LINK>The Dutch parliamentary elections held in January 2003 resulted in victory for the established political parties. The social partners have expressed their wishes with regard to future government policy to theinformateurcharged with exploring the options for forming a new coalition government.
- 03 Feb 2003
Netherlands: New regulations on transfer of undertakings<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, new regulations came into force in the Netherlands to protect employees during the transfer of undertakings, implementing recent changes in EU law. The most important changes pertain to the transfer of pension schemes and transfers after bankruptcy. Problems with transfers in the Netherlands mainly occur in public transport at present.
- 20 Jan 2003
Netherlands: Employers seek to 'circumvent' new Sunday working law through collective agreements<#PDF_LINK>Legislation due to come in force in 2003 will give Dutch employees the right to refuse to work on Sundays. However, the VNO-NCW employers' confederation has advised its members to seek provisions in collective agreements which could prohibit employees from refusing Sunday working. Trade unions have attacked VNO-NCW for what they view as an attempt to circumvent the law through collective agreements.
- 08 Jan 2003
Netherlands: Social partners reassess illegal employment<#PDF_LINK>In 2002, as the Dutch government is adopting a tougher approach to the illegal employment of non-EEA foreign nationals, the Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV) has openly expressed its support for such illegal workers. At present, the number of illegal immigrants in the Netherlands is estimated at between 70,000 and 150,000, of whom around 70% are employed illegally. Employers’ organisations have also changed their standpoint and are calling for current legislation to be relaxed.