Agreement Unions and ABU on new collective bargaining agreement

After more than a year, an agreement has been reached between unions FNV, CNV Vakmensen, De Unie and the ABU on a new collective agreement for temporary workers. This will provide this group with greater job security, better pension accrual and reduce the difference in pay between temporary and permanent staff. And specifically for migrant workers there will be, among other things, an income guarantee for the first two months.

The new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect Nov. 17, 2021 with a term until Jan. 2, 2023 (the agreements are now being submitted to union members).

Negotiation result

The negotiation result is the result of more than a year of talks. Negotiations began in September 2020 but broke down in late May. After the parties involved sat around the table again in September, things started to move forward. Jurriën Koops, director ABU: "We cannot and will not deny that we have a turbulent negotiation process behind us. But these four parties have found each other in the interest of the staffing industry to achieve a collective agreement with broad support. With this we want to lay the foundation for a joint further implementation of the SER advisory report 'Security for people, an agile economy and restoration of society."

Equivalency

It was agreed that the so-called "hirer's remuneration" will be extended. "The wages and other working conditions of temporary workers must become equivalent to those of their colleagues employed by the hirer, with this agreement the difference is already becoming smaller. It has been agreed to take the necessary steps to realize this equivalence in the next multi-year collective agreement," says FNV Flex director Karin Heynsdijk. The pension will also improve: pension accrual starts earlier and is built up over a larger portion of income.

Greater job security

Furthermore, there will be more job security. The duration of an initial temporary contract goes from a maximum of 78 weeks to a maximum of 52 weeks. The period during which someone may be given a fixed-term contract will also be shorter, going from 4 to 3 years. This will make the step to permanent employment faster.

Migrant Workers

In addition to regulations that apply to all temporary workers, the position of migrant workers was also examined. The recommendations of the so-called Aanjaagteam Bescherming Arbeidsmigranten led by Emile Roemer were used as guidelines. There will be an income guarantee equal to the statutory minimum wage for the first two months with a temporary employer. It has also been agreed that migrant workers can remain in housing for up to four weeks after the end of the temporary contract. Marten Jukema of CNV Vakmensen says, "Not all of the recommendations of the Aanjaagteam can be regulated through the collective bargaining agreement, but with this we are taking a nice step and at the same time we are also talking at other tables and with other stakeholders about issues such as housing for labor migrants."

What is the NBBU's reaction to this agreement?

"The NBBU has learned that the ABU has reached an agreement with FNV, CNV and the Union. The NBBU is not part of that agreement and is itself still in talks. We are striving for a situation in which the interests of NBBU members are best represented. We already agreed with most of the mentioned improvements for temporary workers in the ABU message earlier this year."

Source: ABU and FNV Flex, CNV Vakmensen, De Unie, November 17, 2021