Belgium: employers and unions agree upon a draft cross-industry agreement for period 2019-2020 (in brief)

Despite difficult negotiations that saw trade unions critical of the ‘too low’ 2019-2020 wage margin threshold calculated by the Central Economic Council at 0.8% (c.f. article No. 10968), twenty hours around the discussion table on 25 February have resulted in employers and union bodies agreeing on a 1.1% salary rise, in accordance with the Council’s re-calibrated wage margin that incorporates the latest growth and inflation forecasts.The draft agreement also intends for the time-credit system to be maintained along with early retirement from age 59 for those with long career paths and arduous careers. For companies that are struggling or restructuring the early retirement age will move up from 56 to 58 in 2019, to 59 in 2020 and again to 60 by the end of 2020. The minimum salary was raised 1.1%, the equivalent of 10 cents per hour. The number of overtime hours was also raised from 100 to 120 annually. This draft agreement now needs to be validated by the employers’ and trade unions’ governing bodies.