Netherlands
Background information on industrial relations in Netherlands
- 24 Apr 2012
Netherlands: The Netherlands: Employment and Industrial Relations in the Hotels and RestaurantsThe horeca sector is a small, dynamic sector of the Dutch economy. It is a vulnerable sector. Nearly 90% of companies are small and employ less than 10 employees. The collective labour agreement, which is extended to the whole sector, comes close to legal minimum standards. The economic crisis has had a major impact on the sector. Since 2009 the sector has shrunken by 30.000 jobs. With the sector producing mainly for the internal market the crisis is being felt over a longer period. The sector has a bad imago. Many young employees seem not very enthusiastic to remain working in the sector. The social partners are in co-operation trying to improve working conditions and to make career possibilities more transparent. The expected shortage of personnel might give an impetus to change.
- 05 Apr 2012
Netherlands: The Netherlands: the representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the insurance sectorThe insurance sector is a small but important sector in the Dutch economy. There are two sub sections or domains, insurance companies and intermediaries. There are two employer organisations, the Association of Insurers (VvV) and Adfiz (previously Fidin), and four employee organisations: FNV Bondgenoten, CNV Dienstenbond, De Unie, BBV and, on behalf of the self-employed, the FNV Zelfstandigen. About 25% of employees are organised. The four unions are recognised parties at the negotiation table and thus signatory partners to the extended collective agreement in the insurance section. The extended multi employer collective agreement (for the smaller companies) covers about 35% of the 50,000 employees. The large companies, all members of VvV, each have their own company agreement and dominate the sector. VvV covers 95% of the market. This implies that about 95% of employees ares employed in a member company of VvV. Adfiz organises about 14% of companies (intermediaries). In this domain there is no multi-employer agreement and Adfiz is not involved in collective bargaining.
- 27 Mar 2012
Netherlands: The Netherlands: the representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the paper sectorThe paper sector is a small but dynamic part of the Dutch economy. The sector is divided in two parts: companies which form the basic industry and companies that process these basic products further. Of the three employer associations only Kartoflex is a party in multi-employer collective bargaining. On the employee side four unions are active, organising about 30% of the 12,360 employees in the sector (this figure is reported by the social partners). Of the 19 collective agreements 17 are single-company agreements. The Kartoflex multi-employer agreement is extended and covers 125 companies and 4,000 employees. Collective bargaining coverage is estimated to stand at 80%. Representativeness of the social partners is not an issue and they are serious partners in consultation with the government.
- 21 Mar 2012
Netherlands: Unions fear eastern European workers may be exploitedThe number of posted workers in the Netherlands, especially Bulgarians and Romanians, increased by 35% in 2011. Secondment agencies have taken advantage of the fact that services can be offered throughout the EU, after the Social Affairs minister made it difficult for people to obtain work permits. The Dutch Trade Union Federation is worried these workers, mainly employed in construction, agriculture, horticulture, cleaning, and the steel industry, could be exploited.
- 07 Mar 2012
Netherlands: The Netherlands: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the sea fisheries sectorThe quantitative relevance of the small sea fisheries sector has declined over the last ten years, both in the number of ships and, more dramatically, of fishermen, although the catch in volume has probably increased. Industrial relations are restricted to the fleet of 14 trawlers, owned by four companies, according to the social partner respondents. The employer association, the RVZ, concludes the collective agreements with the union CNV Vakmensen (and also, formally, with FNV Bondgenoten). The agreements cover 477 fishermen. In the smaller boats, ship owners and fishermen operate in partnership, sharing the profit from the catch. There are no formal employer-employee relations here.
- 27 Feb 2012
Netherlands: Labour law changes to stamp out illegal employmentSeveral labour laws have come into effect in the Netherlands with effect from 1 January 2012, and further proposals are being looked at in earnest by the new government. Many of the new initiatives are intended to combat illegal employment and labour exploitation. This activity follows a period in which there has been little active control of labour market issues, particularly in the supervision of temporary employment agencies and the employment of illegal workers.
- 21 Feb 2012
Netherlands: Minister acts on pension agreementThe pension agreement negotiated by the Netherlands’ Minister of Social Affairs, Henk Kamp, between employees and employers in June 2011 hinges on raising the retirement age to 67 by 2025, and reduced benefits for early retirement with exceptions for low-paid strenuous occupations. Pension premiums and management of the sizeable assets of pension funds are also an issue, and the minister has said he believes control of them should be left to experts rather than the social partners.
- 31 Jan 2012
Netherlands: Largest union federation to be reorganisedThe Netherlands' former Secretary of State for Social Affairs, Jetta Klijnsma, has agreed to lead a new union confederation after the break-up of the Dutch Labour Federation (FNV) in its current form, triggered by the pension agreement reached by the FNV leadership with employer representatives. The two biggest unions among the federation's 19 members felt the deal was unfair, and mediators were called in after one union demanded a vote of no confidence in Chair Agnes Jongerius.