Netherlands: negotiations open in the basic metal industry

Negotiations for the new collective agreement started on February 16th in basic metalworking, under the sign of “increasingly worsening deterioration” said Jan Berghuis, negotiator for the Federation of Netherlands Unions and Allies (FNV Bondgenoten).  Employers propose an agreement over two years with no wage increase since a 1.5% wage increase came into force on February 1st.  This is a simple adjustment measure amounting to the increase negotiated one and a half year ago in the middle of the crisis, unions say.  Besides, unions want to remove the single mandatory resting day per week to allow for work on Saturday, and review the clauses of the previous collective agreement (in force between January 1, 2010 and march 31, 2011) protecting the employment of seniors and pensions.  For their part, unions are coming to the negotiating table with a long list of claims, their priority being “flexible workers.”  These “flexwerkers” compose a group made up of agency workers or employees with a fixed-term contract.   Unions want “better retribution” for these workers, but they haven’t determined clear limits.  For the rest, the FNV and Allies wants a collective agreement over 12 months only with a 2.5% wage increase in 2011 combined with €15 a month for the increase on health insurance contributions, and the removal of “cheap” scales for youth minimum wage in basic metalworking, more opportunities for continuing education and the maintenance of measures protecting the retirement rights of people over 58 of get fired.  “Over the last decade, the sector has lost over 16,000 employees” reminded Jan Berghuis, FVN negotiator.  “This year, we’re determined to reach a collective agreement that is advantageous for workers.”