van het Kaar, Robbert
Pensions remain key issue in collective bargaining
28 Juuli 2005
Pension-related issues have featured strongly in the 2005 collective
bargaining round in the Netherlands, as they did in 2004. Employers are
cutting the costs of early retirement schemes and at a number of companies
pension risk is being shifted towards the employees. Meanwhile, the financial
position of occupational pension funds has improved significantly, while the
government has announced its intention to introduce a new Pension Act.
Workers from new EU Member States undeterred by restrictive policy
28 Juuli 2005
The Dutch government is pursuing a restrictive policy on the free movement of
workers from the new EU Member States in central and eastern Europe. Despite
this, over 2004-5 their numbers have swelled - especially those from Poland.
The restrictive policy is also leading to increasing numbers of self-employed
individuals and illegal workers. Recent legislation means that all employees
seconded from abroad will henceforth fall within the scope of Dutch
collective agreements.
Thematic feature - collective agreements on changes in work organisation
18 Aprill 2005
The EU’s European employment strategy [1] was revised in 2003 (EU0308205F
[2]), following demands for a more results-oriented strategy contributing
successfully to the targets for more and better jobs and an inclusive labour
market set at the Lisbon European Council in 2000 (EU0004241F [3]). To
support the three objectives of full employment, quality and productivity at
work and cohesion and an inclusive labour market, the current employment
guidelines [4] identify 10 priorities ('commandments'), including one on
'promoting adaptability of workers and firms to change'. This identifies work
organisation (alongside skills, lifelong learning and career development,
gender equality, health and safety at work, flexibility and security,
inclusion and access to the labour market, work-life balance, social dialogue
and worker involvement, diversity and non-discrimination, and overall work
performance) as an element in improved quality at work, which should be
pursued through a concerted effort between all actors and particularly
through social dialogue.
[1] http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/employment_strategy/index_en.htm
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/2003-employment-guidelines-and-recommendations-adopted
[3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-social-policies/lisbon-council-agrees-employment-targets
[4] http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/employment_strategy/guidelines_en.htm
New law alters works council role in larger companies
04 Oktoober 2004
A new law on law on supervisory boards in larger companies took effect in the
Netherlands on 1 October 2004. This law changes the role of works councils in
nominating members of supervisory boards, and has several other implications
for the balance of power between shareholders, management and works councils.
Government plans for 2005 meet fierce resistance
04 Oktoober 2004
On 21 September 2004, the Dutch government presented its plans for the coming
year. The proposals have proved controversial, especially those relating to
early retirement, occupational disability insurance and compensation for
dismissal. Employers are critical and the trade unions have stepped up their
campaign against the government’s policy.
Occupational pension issues place increasing pressure on industrial relations
28 September 2004
Developments in recent years have challenged the Dutch occupational pensions
system. Employers and employees are being confronted by rising contributions,
eating into the scope for pay increases and placing pressure on collective
bargaining. At the same time the absolute power of the social partners in
running pension funds is being challenged by pensioners, causing an
increasing number of disputes. This article reviews the situation in autumn
2004.
Government early retirement plans cause controversy
28 September 2004
In summer 2004, the Dutch government announced plans to phase out tax
incentives for early retirement and introduce instead a 'life-span leave
arrangement', enabling employees to accumulate a proportion of their pay to
finance long-term leave for a variety of purposes (eg care duties, training
or retiring earlier). Despite a critical response from trade unions,
employers and occupational pension funds, the government appears set on
pushing through its key proposals.
Thematic feature - industrial relations and undeclared work
08 September 2004
The phenomenon of undeclared work - defined as 'any paid activities that are
lawful as regards their nature but not declared to the public authorities'-
is an issue which has been preoccupying the EU institutions for a number of
years. In 1998, the European Commission issued a Communication [1] on
undeclared work, which was designed to launch a debate on the causes of such
work and the policy options for combating it (EU9804197F [2]). It suggested
that there was a need to clarify the causes and extent, and concluded that
combating undeclared work should be part of the overall European employment
strategy [3].
[1] http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/employment_strategy/index_en.htm
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined/commission-targets-undeclared-work
[3] http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/employment_strategy/index_en.htm
Unions launch protest action against government policy
06 September 2004
In August 2004, the Netherlands' three main trade union federations launched
a programme of protest action against government policy on a variety of
issues, notably early retirement and lifelong leave arrangements. The planned
action includes a strike on 21 September.
Court rules against 40-hour week at Smead
06 September 2004
In August 2004, a court ruled against a plan by Smead Europe, the Dutch
subsidiary of a US-owned office supplies group, to increase weekly working
hours from 36 or 38 to 40 at two plants, with no increase in pay. According
to the court, such an extension would contravene the applicable sectoral
collective agreement.