On 1 March 2006, the age balance principle came into effect regarding collective redundancies. The act stipulates that, in cases of restructuring – and, as a result, in potential mass redundancies – age must be taken as the decisive criterion (*NL0406101N* [1]). Five age categories have defined: 15
The Dutch General Independent Union (De Unie [1]) and the Services Workers’ Union (CNV Dienstenbond [2]) have set up a cheaper, low threshold Internet-based union. In doing so, they are offering new options to employees who wish to be affiliated to a union but who do not want full membership
Avebe [1] is the leading potato starch company in the Netherlands and the biggest industrial employer in the north of the country. Once again, the company finds itself in challenging circumstances: in autumn 2005, some 400 jobs were at risk (*NL0510102N* [2]); today, the company is facing acute
Since 1 April 2006, the ‘last in, first out’ principle has been abandoned. As a result, in a restructuring [1] situation, the last employee hired is no longer necessarily the first one to be dismissed. Instead, employers now have to apply the ‘proportion’ or age balance principle when making
The jobs of 1,000 employees among the 3,000-strong workforce at the NedCar [1] car assembly plant in Born are at stake. Over the past two years, some 1,700 employees have already been dismissed by the company. Now that DaimlerCrysler has announced its intention to stop production of the Smart
At the end of 2005, the Confederation of Netherlands Industries and Employers (VNO-NCW) announced that it wanted to ask employees to swap days off for a higher salary. If the membership base agrees to the idea, such a swap would be brought up in the forthcoming collective bargaining rounds. At the
Effective 1 January 2006 various changes have been introduced that have an impact on salary levels. This relates to the way in which the new healthcare financing system, introduction of the Work and Income According to Labour Capacity Act (Werk en Inkomen naar Arbeidsvermogen, WIA) following on from
Tugboat and salvage workers at the maritime company Smit Internationale came out in strike in November 2005, after collective bargaining rounds ran aground. In addition to increased pay and price compensation, compensation for overtime and treatment by management were on the agenda. In the wake of
In October 2005, State Secretary mister Van Hoof of Social Affairs proposed that single mothers with young children receiving benefits should find employment in an out-of-school-time care programme. He believes this should be done in return for receiving benefits, on top of which he will dish out a
Two of the most significant Dutch employers’ organisations, VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland have forged an alliance. The move was mainly prompted by overlapping interests, dual membership and efficiency gains. Following the drive to achieve a good position in recent years and putting paid to mutual