Download article in original language : NL9904138NNL.DOC
Collective bargaining in 1999 for various groups of Dutch civil servants has been fraught with difficulties. By April, an agreement reached for 118,000 government officials marked the only progress, with deadlock in talks for local government officers, university employees and employees in the higher vocational training sector.
For the purposes of bargaining over terms and conditions of employment, the Dutch civil service is divided into a number of subsectors (NL9904134F). On 9 April 1999, difficult negotiations eventually resulted in an agreement for 118,000 officials in central government. From 1 June, they will receive a pay increase of 2.9%, plus a one-off bonus of 0.5% of their annual salary in December. The agreement runs until August 2000. Furthermore, employers (in this case, the respective government departments) agreed to set aside NLG 40 million for education, daycare, improving personnel management policy and recruiting young people. In addition, a study is planned to investigate individual performance-linked pay, and opportunities for employees to continue working after the age of 60 will be increased.
However, negotiations for local government or municipal officers ran aground at the end of March when the unions rejected offers of a 2.9% pay increase for 1999 and a 2.1% increase for 2000. The Abvakabo, CFO and CMHF trade unions demanded an annual 3.5% pay rise for the 180,000 municipal officers they represent. Protests on 15 April in several municipalities announced earlier by the unions, had little noticeable impact, although 6,000 officers attended a protest meeting in Rotterdam. According to a spokesperson for the largest union, Abvakabo, efforts must be made to catch up with the private sector. Municipal officers, he pointed out, have no bonds or shares in "their" company and profit-sharing does not exist, let alone a "13th month" pay bonus. He acknowledged that the imbalance relates mainly to pay, whilst in other areas municipal officers enjoy relatively favourable arrangements, including early retirement at age 55 for those with exceptionally demanding jobs, such as firefighters.
Similarly, collective bargaining for university employees reached deadlock. The employers' association, VSNU, which represents 14 universities, offered a maximum pay award of 3% for an 18-month collective agreement, whilst the unions are demanding a minimum of 3% for one year backdated to 1 January 1999 for the 50,000 employees involved. The unions are also strongly opposed to the VSNU's wish to abolish civil servant status for university employees.
Finally, the unions in the higher vocational education sector presented the employers with an ultimatum, and declared that the salary increase offered is "an insult to everyone who works in higher vocational education."