The Flemish government and the trade unions representing public sector employees have signed a new two-year collective agreement for the 2005–2007 period. The agreement covers approximately 27,800 civil servants in the region, excluding teachers and public transport workers (these groups each negotiate a separate sectoral agreement). On 6 July 2006, the final text was signed, ending a period of nine months of negotiations.
In July 2006, the Flemish government and the public sector unions concluded an agreement for 2005–2007. The new agreement pays particular attention to measures promoting active ageing and combining work with family life in the civil service.
The Flemish government and the trade unions representing public sector employees have signed a new two-year collective agreement for the 2005–2007 period. The agreement covers approximately 27,800 civil servants in the region, excluding teachers and public transport workers (these groups each negotiate a separate sectoral agreement). On 6 July 2006, the final text was signed, ending a period of nine months of negotiations.
Budget fixed in advance
The preamble of the agreement stipulates that the Flemish government and the representative trade unions adopt a partnership approach. The agreement is also defined as an important step in the development of a human resource management (HRM) policy, which plays a crucial role in the further quality enhancement of public services.
For the first time, the financial budget to be made available was predetermined from the outset of the negotiations. Accordingly, measures were bargained and concluded on the basis of this financial package. The extra cost of the agreement to the exchequer, amounting to €21 million, will be spread over time.
Active ageing as a priority
A significant portion of the agreement is devoted to measures promoting active ageing in the public service (BE0602304F). The signatories are in favour of encouraging older civil servants to remain at work. Several measures in the agreement were developed with this objective, and can be summarised along two dimensions: curative or preventive, and working less or working differently (see Figure).
Active ageing policies in public sector agreement
Source: Sectoral agreement 2005–2007
Other important measures
Other important provisions of the new sectoral agreement include the following measures:
introducing a general procedure for a new organisation-wide job classification, in accordance with a previously obtained consensus;
broadening possibilities for taking part-time leave or a career break for family reasons, such as childcare or medical care of family members;
creating a new managerial function level as part of a career and promotion policy, and establishing a so-called ‘expert’ career with commensurate promotion and pay bonuses;
simplifying job evaluation procedures;
increasing the end-of-year bonus in consecutive stages. In 2006, lower-level civil servants will receive a higher pay bonus, followed by other civil servants in the hierarchy in the coming years;
introducing a meal voucher for all employees from 1 July 2007. These vouchers will have a value of €5;
abolishing the waiting day (carensdag) for lower-level civil servants. According to Belgian labour law, blue-collar workers on a period of sick leave lasting less than 14 days do not receive sick leave benefit for the first day of absence – the ‘waiting day’. Today, this system of a waiting day is increasingly being removed in new collective agreements;
increasing the mileage allowance when using one’s own car for work purposes;
increasing the bonus for night work;
paying an extra bonus for overtime and weekend work to lower-level professional and managerial staff; in the private sector, this group is normally excluded from these types of pay arrangements.
Reorganisation
Recently, the Flemish administration rearranged its organisational structure. Within the modernisation programme ‘Better administrative measures’ (Beter bestuurlijk beleid), the administration has been reorganised into 13 policy domains with new internal and external semi-state agencies. As a result, the negotiation and consultation committees (similar to work councils) have also been reorganised. The new public sector agreement provides for better provision of economic and financial information to these bodies.
Telework regulation
The agreement also contains a new regulation to organise telework (BE0512301N) in the public sector. In the document, telework is considered neither as a right, nor as an obligation. It can be performed on a voluntary basis, but the direct superior must give his/her consent. However, telework arrangements cannot be full time, and the guideline is to limit it to a maximum of three days a week.
There is no additional financial compensation for carrying out telework. The teleworker and his/her supervisor have to reach and sign an agreement describing the tasks and duties. Necessary resources, such as a computer and internet access, will be provided and financed by the employer and can also be used for private purposes.
Commentary
The most significant provisions of the agreement are fixing the budget from the outset and the measures to promote active ageing in the public sector. The agreement does not provide for direct pay increases, as automatic indexation already guarantees that the wages of civil servants will increase in line with the cost of living (i.e. inflation). Nevertheless, the agreement grants indirect pay increases, such as the end-of-year bonus and meal vouchers.
The full text of the [sectoral agreement (in Dutch; 244Kb PDF)](http://personeel.vlaanderen.be/statuten/vakbondsstatuut/sectorale _akkoorden.htm) is available.
See also the sectoral agreement at local government level (BE0511302F).
Guy Van Gyes, Higher Institute for Labour Studies (HIVA), Catholic University of Leuven
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2006), New sectoral agreement in Flemish civil service, article.
