Netherlands: crisis strengthens the polder system

Introduction of partial unemployment. The quick introduction of a temporary working time reduction system (ATV, see our dispatch No. 081049) to deal with the most urgent matters, gave the social partners the time to open negotiations on a better program to cope with the crisis. After two months of intense talks in February and march, they concluded a social agreement (see our dispatch No. 090427) containing several measures: gradually raising retirement age to 67, frozen wages until 2012 and replacing the ATV with partial unemployment on April 1 (see our dispatch No. 090340), a system which isn’t as flexible and which doesn’t please employers but which meets unions’ requirements.
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oduction of a temporary working time reduction system (ATV, see our dispatch No. 081049) to deal with the most urgent matters, gave the social partners the time to open negotiations on a better program to cope with the crisis. After two months of intense talks in February and march, they concluded a social agreement (see our dispatch No. 090427) containing several measures: gradually raising retirement age to 67, frozen wages until 2012 and replacing the ATV with partial unemployment on April 1

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