The Netherlands' former Secretary of State for Social Affairs, Jetta Klijnsma, has agreed to lead a new union confederation after the break-up of the Dutch Labour Federation (FNV) in its current form, triggered by the pension agreement reached by the FNV leadership with employer representatives. The two biggest unions among the federation's 19 members felt the deal was unfair, and mediators were called in after one union demanded a vote of no confidence in Chair Agnes Jongerius.
Background
The largest trade union federation in the Netherlands, the Dutch Labour Federation (FNV), was split by the pension agreement its leadership had reached with employer representatives in June 2011. Union members felt that raising the retirement age and assigning full responsibility for the financial risks of company pension schemes to employees alone was unfair. Many union members also found the arrangement’s sweeping approach – not sparing those who have demanding occupations – inappropriate. Trouble arose, however, when the two biggest unions, Allied Unions (Bondgenoten) and the General Union of Public Servants – Catholic Union of Public Servants (AbvaKabo), reflected the majority view of their members by voting against the agreement at a meeting of the federation council. Although these unions have the most members, they had equal voting rights with the other 17 council members. Allied Unions called for a vote of no confidence in federation Chair Agnes Jongerius, who had signed the agreement, and threats of a breakaway federation followed.
External mediation
However, all parties, in an effort to avoid uncertainty and further fragmentation of the union movement, decided on external mediation. The former Chair of the Senate Labour Party, Han Noten, and the former Chair of Rabobank, Herman Wijffels, were appointed as mediators. The 13 trade union chairs and the federation’s chair withdrew for a weekend of consultation to resolve the deadlock, subject to a complete media blackout.
On the following Monday, the mediators announced that the federation would be completely reorganised, with its members to be organised into smaller units according to the sectors or professions they represent. This removes the problem that each of the unions, irrespective of the size or interests of their membership, enjoyed the same vote in council.
FNV Chair Agnes Jongerius and Henk van der Kolk, Chair of Allied Unions, who have frequently disagreed, will both step down.
How central consultations will be conducted, and by whom, is still under discussion.
Hopes for more flexibility
The idea of the reorganisation is that the Netherlands' trade unions will be able to respond better to the changing labour market in which fixed employment contracts and relationships are giving way to more flexible labour relations. The intention is that poorly represented groups, such as young people and an increasing number of self-employed workers (ZZPs), will get more of a say.
In recent decades, membership numbers appear to have been falling gradually, in line with the mounting organisational problems facing the union movement. The hope is that the union movement will be given a new lease of life by the reorganisation of the country's largest union federation, with more space for new groups of employees and a broader definition of ‘the employed’.
Although the FNV and Allied Unions Chairs will step down from their positions in spring 2012, they will contribute towards the establishment of the new organisation. The Labour Party's (PvdA) former State Secretary and Member of the House of Representatives Jetta Klijnsma has been asked to take the lead in establishing and further defining the new organisation. With a group of trusted representatives and experts, she will shape the newly-reorganised federation. By spring 2012 it should be taking concrete form.
Marianne Grünell, HSI