Judges are on strike for the time being. The Dutch Association for the Judiciary (NVvR) will not take action. The board has decided to resume negotiations at the collective bargaining table.
Hundreds of judges and prosecutors threatened to temporarily stop working due to dissatisfaction with the high workload, enormous staff shortages and increasing threats. She demanded measures from Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection).
The ultimatum that the NVvR had issued to Weerwind expired on Friday 10 March. The minister had to come up with a better collective bargaining offer, otherwise actions would follow in the form of work interruptions. Weerwind then came up with a helping hand in the hope of averting actions by judges and officers.
Informal talks followed, which according to the NVvR showed ‘that the minister takes the union’s demands seriously and wants to make concrete moves in relation to previously held positions’. The talks have resulted in commitments that will be further elaborated in the negotiations, the NVvR reports on Thursday. “It took a lot of effort to get the minister moving. That has only been possible thanks to the widespread dissatisfaction among our members about the reserved attitude of the minister at the collective labor agreement table until now.”
Real compensation
At the end of last year, the association had suspended collective bargaining with the Ministry of Weather Wind after seven rounds of talks. The magistrates want compensation from the minister for the workload and overtime and they want to make agreements about their expenses. In addition, they want real compensation for inflation.
The minister’s offer is sufficient for the NVvR to put the actions on hold. “For example, the minister wants to make a financial gesture, pay for the expense allowance and work with us on taking concrete measures for reducing work pressure in the short and longer term via an scout,” says a letter to supporters.
“Although the parties are not yet on the same page and serious negotiations will still have to take place, the NVvR sees sufficient movement with the minister and perspective to resume negotiations.”
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