New collective agreement temporary workers

After intensive negotiations, the Dutch Federation of Private Employment Agencies (ABU) and the trade unions FNV Bondgenoten, CNV Dienstenbond, De Unie and LBV have reached a deal on the changes to the current collective labour agreement for temporary workers.

The draft agreement reached in 2012 on the “hirers’ remuneration” (a temporary worker’s wage based on the hirer’s employment terms) will come into force on 30 March 2015. The new version of the collective labour agreement also incorporates the Dutch Work and Security Act. The new agreement forms a broad base for the temporary work sector’s allocation role and in line with the Social Agreement it ensures well-organised flexibility.

Remuneration (from 30 March 2015)

From day one, temporary workers receive a wage based on the hiring company’s employment conditions. A different wage construction applies for groups who are further removed from the labour market. This wage construction also applies for people who are receiving support based on the Participation Act and for those whose employers are helping them to find a new job via the temporary sector. A separate wage construction also applies for temporary workers with an open-ended contract (Phase C). Furthermore, unions and employers have agreed on a 1.8% wage rise as of 29 December 2014.

Work and Security Act (from 1 July 2015)

The new collective agreement incorporates the Work and Security Act. In line with the Social Agreement, more certainties have been agreed for temporary workers with so-called ‘short contracts’ (day/week). Furthermore in Phase B, as of 1 July 2015, a maximum of six contracts may be used in a maximum of four years. This gives the sector more opportunities to arrange flexibility for hirers and security for temporary workers within the new framework.

Flexible and secure

ABU believes that these new collective agreements have created a good balance between flexibility and security. Jurriën Koops, director of ABU, says: “The new collective agreement confirms that temporary work is a well-organised form of flexibility. The agreement offers the sector new perspective and is good for the labour market.”

Declared generally binding

Before the ABU collective agreement could be changed, a request had to be submitted to the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. The current agreement has been declared generally binding and applies for all temporary workers (except those with dispensation). The agreements between the negotiating parties representing ABU and the unions must still be presented to the members and will only become definite when the members grant their approval.

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