On Thursday, October 2, 2025, the trade unions and the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) met again to resume collective bargaining negotiations. This resulted in a final offer from the employer. Negotiations are therefore over.
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The unions' commitment was to conduct negotiations based on our proposal letters. These were the proposals we used to initiate negotiations in March of this year. Incidentally, this was also our position during the July 2025 consultation. However, the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) stubbornly refused to initiate negotiations. They persisted in sticking to a collective bargaining agreement that only included salary increases. This was the issue we stalled on before the summer. In addition to our proposal to agree on a pilot program for hybrid working (two days a week in the office) and the associated social support programs.
Final offer?
The UWV has submitted a final written offer, indicating that it does not wish to discuss the matter further. This final offer is slightly better than the last collective bargaining agreement proposal from July 2025, which is a plus. However, we must again conclude that there is essentially no consultation. The UWV wants to impose a diktat and refuses to listen. This company appears to have no respect for its employees.
What are the profit points in the final bid?
- UWV proposes a salary increase of 2,75% as of August 1, 2025.
This is the same increase as the UWV offered in July 2025. - UWV proposes a collective labor agreement with a term of 8 months.
This is the same term as UWV offered in July 2025. - UWV offers a one-off payment of €400 net.
This is an improvement. In July 2025 the supply was € 200,- gross. - UWV has now agreed on a pilot project for hybrid working with the works council.
In July 2025, the UWV refused to agree to this pilot with trade unions. We are pleased that the works council managed to bring this topic to the table.
What are our objections to UWV's final offer?
What is the objection to a collective labor agreement that only contains agreements about salary increases?
- If you enter into a collective bargaining agreement with only a salary increase, this increase should at least be sufficient. 2,75% is still a far cry from what union members are asking for.
- Trade unions consider it important to reach agreements on a wide range of topics. The UWV is going through a turbulent period. Much is being demanded of employees, and numerous reorganizations appear to be in the works. This is all the more reason to support employees now in developing their skills and offering them the opportunity to improve their labor market position through training. The UWV wants to postpone this until April 2026.
- The UWV remains committed to quickly resuming negotiations on the social plan. The unions' position is that this is not urgent. The UWV Board of Directors has promised that the Change Engine will be included in the current social plan. It seems illogical to unions to offer employees who fall under a later phase of the Change Engine a much worse social plan, but this is what the UWV wants.
- Urgent agreements must also be made regarding travel allowances and travel time arrangements for employees who, as part of the hybrid working pilot program, are required to come to the office more frequently. Trade unions want to include these arrangements in the collective labor agreement. The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) wants to postpone this until after the pilot program is completed. That is too late.
Why become a member?
Now's the time to become a member. If you like the final offer, you can have real influence by voting in favor. But you do have to become a member. If you don't think the final offer is good enough, you can also vote against it later. But even then, you have to be a member! As a member, you're also guaranteed the best support, both legal and otherwise, should things ever go wrong at work. And of course, as a member, you can always use our service center for all your questions about work and income.
What now?
- Trade unions jointly organize member meetings to discuss the situation with members and their colleagues.
- We are conducting a survey to find out how members and their colleagues view UWV's position, what they expect from UWV's future, and what their opinion is on UWV's final offer.
Employee meeting dates
Online staff meetings will be held on:
- Thursday, October 9, 12:00 noon
- Thursday, October 9, 12:00 noon
- Monday, October 13, 12:00 noon
- Tuesday, October 14 at 09.00 p.m
Members have received an invitation to participate in the online meetings.
Final bid survey
Unions are jointly conducting an employee survey about the final offer. The survey will be sent to members in the week of October 13, 2025.
Contact
Do you have any questions about this message? Please send an email to our advocate Inge de Vries at ing.de.vries@unie.nl.
