Netherlands: unions accept liberal/labor coalition agreement

The Dutch Labor Federation (FNV) threatened with a general strike to lobby the Mark Rutte's outgoing liberal administration, which now has to work with the labor party. However, it seems that the coalition agreement released on October 1 pleased the trade unions. (Ref. 120577)
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“It’s more social, but it’s not social enough” said Ton Heerts, FNV general secretary. He welcomed the outline of the coalition agreement signed between the VVD (liberal, Mark Rutte) and PvDA (labor, Diederik Samsom). The have been the two majority parties in Parliament since the legislative election of September 12. Yet, the agreement doesn’t go back on the flexible layoff measures provided for in the 2013 budget the Parliament voted in April, which the FNV rejected. It doesn’t amend the pa

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