Thursday 24-hour strike in the North Brabant and Southwest regions for a good Metal & Technology collective labor agreement

Challenges of the future

FNV collective labor agreement negotiator Peter Reniers: ‘The lack of willingness to meet our most important collective labor agreement requirements, especially in the areas of (youth) wages, heavy work regulations and generation pact, is deeply disappointing. We have made a significant reduction in purchasing power during the past collective labor agreement period, but employers don’t seem to care about this at all. The sector must really be prepared for the challenges of the future, such as the energy transition, automation and digitalization. To achieve this, the new collective labor agreement must be rock solid. That’s what we’re on strike for.’

Thursday April 25

24-hour strike in the North Brabant region

Strike location: Alberdingk Thijmlaan 1, Eindhoven (Wim van Doorne Music Kiosk)

Strikers register from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The following companies are on strike: VDL Bus Valkenswaard, Gea Food Solutions Weert, Spie Nederland, Engie Services Zuid, Andritz Feed & Biofuel, Kemkens Installatietechniek, KMWE Precisions, Frencken and Equans.

24-hour strike in the Southwest region

Strike location: De Kuip, Olympiaweg 54, Rotterdam

Strikers register from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Speaker: FNV chairman Tuur Elzinga

The following companies are on strike: Spie, Equans, Croon Wolter Dros, Bam Techniek, Snijders Electro, Delta Reefer Care, Santon, Bakker-Sliedrecht.

Jan Meeder, FNV Metaal director Zuidwest: ‘Our goal is simply a good Metal & Technology sector collective labor agreement. For all those professionals in the sector, who often do heavy work. Often working in shifts and often also having to be on call. Moreover, a good collective labor agreement is very important for the image of the entire sector. With this you can also inspire young people to choose a profession in technology. The demand for metal and technology professionals will remain high in the coming years. The employers will really have to come to terms with this.’

More strikes are planned for the rest of the week in the regions: Twente and surroundings (Wednesday), North Holland (Friday) and Utrecht (Friday).

Most important collective labor agreement requirements for FNV Metaal

Duration

12 months; from April 1, 2024 to April 1, 2025.

Wage

A structural increase in salaries and salary scales by 10.1% as of April 1, 2024, to repair the inflation gap that has accumulated since October 2022. Including, in the context of a structural improvement in purchasing power, a wage increase of 100 euros gross per month.

Introduction of APC (automatic price compensation) to prevent future inflation gaps.

Deletion of the youth scales. The sector must be made much more attractive to young people.

RVU (Early Retirement Scheme)

The current RVU scheme should be extended indefinitely. In addition, the parties agree that they will jointly endorse and advocate further expansion of the RVU tax space and further improvement of the heavy work scheme.

Generation pact

The Generation Pact ensures that older employees have the opportunity to work less and retire healthily, while at the same time giving young people the opportunity to join the workforce. The basic principle is that the hours released by the shorter working weeks of older people are filled by newcomers with a (permanent) employment contract.

Employees are given the right to participate in the generation pact, where they can choose between the 60-80-100% and 70-85-100% variants. In addition, the (current) condition that participation in the generation pact is only allowed if employees have reduced their leave reservoirs to at least 296 hours must be abolished.

Internship compensation

Introduction of a mandatory minimum internship allowance of at least 500 euros per month for a full-time internship week.

Largest collective labor agreement in the market sector

The Metal and Technology collective labor agreement is the largest collective labor agreement in the market sector, with approximately 360,000 employees in the sector and approximately 36,000 employers. The collective labor agreement covers technical installation companies, metalworking companies, insulation companies, bodywork companies and the gold and silver industry. The current Metal & Technology collective labor agreement expired on March 31, 2024.