After eleven days on strike, the trade unions CNV and FNV have reached a collective agreement with Albert Heijn. Jeroen Tjepkema of CNV is happy with the outcome and wage increase: “Our requirement of a 10 percent wage increase has been met.” The employees had been working in the distribution centers since Friday.
The employees went on strike for a better collective labor agreement. Erik Lubbers, one of the strikers, has been working for the company for forty years and spoke earlier about a ‘pay cut’ instead of a desired wage increase. He was referring to the 6 percent offered.
“Two digits before the decimal point”
“We have always said: we want at least two decimal places, otherwise we will not come to the table,” says spokesperson Jeroen Tjepkema, spokesman for CNV. “We started with 14%, which was adjusted a few weeks ago. At least 10 percent since the strikes, and Albert Heijn eventually accepted that. Our requirement of 10 percent was met in no time. They did what we asked. “
Below are the strikers in front of the headquarters. Text continues:
In addition to a fair wage, it was also important for employees not to let the working conditions deteriorate. So was the Albert Heijn intends to introduce a new payment system. Only current employees would then receive a supplement. That idea is now off the table.
The new collective labor agreement also gives temporary workers more certainty about their schedules. Tjepkema: “They now know two weeks in advance which shifts they will work, these shifts can no longer be forced to change by the employer.” According to the union, the collective labor agreement negotiations have become successful because of ‘the solidarity between full-timers, part-timers and temporary workers’.