Union membership rises, while largest union announces reorganisation

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All three main trade union confederations in the Netherlands witnessed a slight net increase in their membership in 1998. Meanwhile, FNV Bondgenoten, the largest Dutch union - the result of a merger in 1998 - announced a major reorganisation in January 1999.

The three main trade union confederations in the Netherlands all saw their membership bases expand in 1998. The Dutch Trade Union Federation (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging, FNV) registered a net gain of 12,000 members over the course of the year, following an increase of 10,000 members in 1997. This brings the total membership to 1,240,000. Among FNV affiliates, AbvaKabo, which represents public and semi-public sector workers, experienced the largest growth: it expanded by 9,500 members net to reach a total of 360,000.Bondgenoten ("Allied Unions" - see below) grew by 3,400 members. However, the membership of the building and woodworkers' union, Bouw- en Houtbond, continued its downward trend.

There was also expansion in the other trade union confederations. Membership of the Christian Trade Union Federation (Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond, CNV) grew to a record 280,000 members. The Federation of Managerial and Staff Unions (Middelbaar en Hoger Personeel, MHP) grew to 220,000 members, mainly owing to the affiliation of a number of new occupational unions, such as Nieuwe Unie '91 (NU'91), representing nurses and the Federatieve Spoorweg Vakvereniging (FSV) railway workers' union. Both unions affiliated to the Union of Independent Union Federations (Unie van Onafhankelijke Vakverenigingen, UOV), one of the four MHP member organisations. The other members are the Centrale voor Middelbare en Hogere Functionarissen (CMHF), a federation of 60 government unions, the Organisation for Managerial and Executive Staff (Vereniging voor Hoger Personee l, VHP) and the Occupational Union for the Banking and Insurance Sector (Beroepsorganisatie Banken en Verzekeringen, BBV). The addition of nurses and railway employees signifies a further step in the MHP's transformation from a white-collar to a general federation.

FNV Bondgenoten, the Netherlands' largest union, was formed in late 1997 by the merger of four FNV unions in the industry, food, services and transport sectors (NL9711145F). In early January 1999, it became clear that the costs of the merger substantially exceeded the budget, with a 1998 deficit of between NLG 30 million and NLG 40 million for the new union, against an NLG 210 million budget. A deficit of only approximately NLG 16 million had been expected prior to the merger. Delays in the official delivery of the new building and poorly coordinated staff policy were the main contributory factors.

Bondgenoten has approximately half a million members and 1,000 employees. Some 250 jobs are set to be scrapped over the next three to five years. However, the union has stressed that there will be no compulsory redundancies. Staff numbers will be reduced by means of "natural wastage" and the termination of temporary contracts.