The measure is full for many employees of social work companies. This morning about sixty people boarded the bus from Hoogeveen to campaign in Utrecht for a better collective labor agreement.
In Utrecht in Park Transwijk, employees with an occupational disability meet about eight thousand other activists from all over the Netherlands.
The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) is responsible for the collective labor agreement of the employees. The trade unions FNV and CNV want the VNG to increase the salary retroactively from the beginning of this year by ten percent. The mileage allowance must also be increased from 10 to 21 cents.
Gerda Vervoort does production work at Stark. This is the apprenticeship company of the municipalities of Hoogeveen, Midden-Drenthe and De Wolden. “I notice myself that I have trouble making ends meet, I also hear it from colleagues around me.” She lists some examples. “There are people who can no longer come here because they cannot afford the petrol for their scooter. Then sitting at home yields more than working. And I can no longer afford the extra trips myself. It is distressing.”
The pain is mainly due to the fact that municipal officials have already been compensated for the increased inflation, they received a new collective labor agreement. Eva Ruiter works in the hospitality industry at the Stark office in Hoogeveen. “I do the same job but we get paid less. It’s not fair.”
Vervoort still goes to work. “That keeps me going. I get a lot of support from the management and executives of Stark Hoogeveen. That keeps me going.”
The VNG emphasizes the desire to support higher wages. “In contrast to municipal officials, employees of social work companies are paid from money that the municipalities receive from the government,” says a VNG spokesperson. “We have urged Minister Carola Schouten for Participation to make more money available.”
“Nonsense,” says Vervoort. “That makes no sense. The VNG decides. It’s their turn.”
More actions will most likely follow next week. A total of around 75,000 people fall under the Collective Labor Agreements for Sheltered Employment and Getting Started.