Low incomes receive extra money in many collective agreements –

In many collective labor agreements, agreements have recently been made in which employees with a relatively low wage receive a higher wage increase. This includes police officers, hospital staff and steel workers.

According to the employers’ association AWVN, there are currently about thirty business lines with this type of agreement. That is more than a quarter of the new collective labor agreements. “A year ago we would not have seen such deals,” says Jannes van der Velde of AWVN.

“Employers see that there are problems with the company due to inflation and that some employee groups are not doing well. It is therefore clear that more needs to be done by making agreements in the collective labor agreement.

tanning

In addition to the percentage increase in salary, collective labor agreements also determine the minimum amount that employees must benefit from. Low-income earners will receive additional benefits if this amount is not met with a percentage pay increase.

For example, disabled care workers receive a minimum of 85 euros, and employees of bicycle companies even 100 euros.

Last year, the trade union FNV moved away from the usual percentage wage requirement and introduced a new type of wage requirement: 100 euros per employee.

intermediate groups

The Professional Union (VCP) denounces the trend to hire more low-paid workers. President Nic van Holstein said inflation is increasingly a problem for middle and higher income groups.

“They feel wronged,” says Van Holstein. “These groups are also able to spend less and less and that has to be solved somehow. We warn against this.”

Jannes van der Velde of employers’ association AWVN disagrees. “All in all, we think it’s a good development that we are looking at where the pressing issues really are. That is very important to us.”