The wages in new collective labor agreements (cao’s) have risen by an average of 4.1 percent in the first half of 2025. This is significant, but the FNV trade union is not satisfied, according to an evaluation of the first six months of the cao season.
FNV still demands a 7 percent increase at the cao negotiation tables. The union believes that most employees have not been adequately compensated for the soaring inflation and that they have lost considerable purchasing power in recent years.
“This shows that employers are not yet willing to pay employees their fair share. Our wage demand of 7 percent is not arbitrary. We need about 4 percent wage increase to make up for the inflation of the past period,” says labor conditions coordinator Petra Bolster.
“We think it is high time that people make progress after three years of hardship, and that requires more than 4.1 percent. This is also possible, because in most sectors enough money is still being earned and the government finances are in good shape.”
Inflation in May was 3.3 percent, but is still well above the average in the eurozone. Food, beverages and tobacco were more than 7 percent more expensive in May, as in April, than a year earlier. Services were almost 4 percent more expensive.
Employers wary of substantial wage increases
Nevertheless, employers are reluctant to raise wages substantially. According to employers’ association AWVN, the available wage margin should be assessed per company and sector. For example, many companies face high labor costs, for example in the industry.
Thus, unions and employers are still at odds in various sectors. Such as at NS, whose staff have already stopped work several times. The railway company has now made a final offer. The unions have not yet responded to that. However, they are temporarily suspending actions and train strikes are therefore off the table for the time being.
According to FNV, progress is being made in various cao’s in tackling workload. The union states that this is urgently needed. “We hear from people on the shop floor that the workload is still very high. People are dropping out because of it.”
FNV has for the first time agreed cao’s in which it is examined how the working week can be shortened. The concept is a four-day working week. This does not automatically mean one extra day off, but revolves around a reduction in working hours without loss of income. How this looks in practice differs per sector, but it is possible for both traditional office jobs and work in shifts and alternating shifts.
‘Time we start learning from abroad’
Agreements have now been made on this in four cao’s: at ING, the hospitals, Kalkzandsteen and the Red Cross.
Bolster: “The first steps have been taken and we are happy about that. Experiences abroad also show that absenteeism decreases, shortages decrease and everyone benefits by working just a little less. It’s time we also start drawing lessons from this here in the Netherlands instead of pushing people until they fall over. Nobody benefits from that.”
“Despite all the big words about security of existence in the previous election campaign of the political parties, it is purely thanks to the members of the unions that there have been wage increases,” says Bolster. “And that we can still make ends meet a little in the Netherlands despite inflation.”