News item | 23-06-2022 | 11:02
Trade unions and employer Central government yesterday reached a negotiator’s result for a new Central Collective Labor Agreement. A generous wage increase for the lower and middle incomes was high on the wish list of both parties. The term of the new Central Government Collective Labor Agreement is up to and including 30 June 2024.
Improving purchasing power from low to high
A higher wage increase has been agreed for the lowest and middle incomes than for the higher incomes. As of July 1, 2022, salaries will increase by 2.5% and a fixed amount of 75 per month. In addition, there will be a floor amount for the monthly salary of 2,016 euros. As of April 1, 2023, salaries will increase by 3% and by January 1, 2024 by another 1.5%. This means that an employee at the bottom of scale 1 will gain more than 20% during the term of the collective labor agreement. For an employee in the highest step of scale 8, that is more than 9% progress. In addition, all civil servants will receive a one-off amount of €450 in December 2022 and in April 2023. A number of irregularity allowances will also increase for employees in roster shifts.
Freedom of choice regarding leave and public holidays
Employees receive more annual leave and can choose how they use it. As extra leave, for a sabbatical, for more leave at a later age or saving to retire early. The current leave arrangements will be reformed for this purpose. From 1 January, employees will receive 64 hours of leave in addition to their statutory vacation days. That is 8 vacation days of 8 hours. The age regulations will be abolished, but there will be a broad transitional law. For example, employees aged 50 and older retain the opportunity to make use of the PAS scheme and age days. And employees aged 40 receive 15 extra hours of leave every year. There will also be a temporary early retirement scheme, the so-called RVU scheme, for employees with 43 or more years of service. As a central government employer, we believe it is important that all employees, regardless of their religious or cultural background, feel welcome at central government. That is why we are going to experiment in a number of pilots with exchanging Christian and other religious holidays.
Sustainability remains on the agenda
The employer Rijk wants to make it more sustainable. However, in practice it is sometimes difficult to break through the status quo. We are therefore going to experiment with pilots in which it is allowed to deviate from the collective labor agreement within a department or service and to implement far-reaching sustainability of employment conditions and operational management. We call on employees and employers to come up with ideas and make proposals.
What now
Unions are now presenting the negotiator’s result to their members. On 7 July we will know whether we have a final collective labor agreement.