On November 11, 2025, we reached a preliminary negotiation result with the WTG regarding the new collective labor agreement for 2025-2027. This was slightly amended on December 9, and then definitively ratified by the WTG on January 8, 2026. We are pleased that we have reached a negotiation result. Click here for the full text of the negotiation result.
Join now, starting from €0
What preceded
The first collective bargaining agreement consultation took place on June 3rd. We subsequently met four more times to negotiate the new collective bargaining agreement, and on November 11th, we reached a preliminary negotiating result. The final negotiating result was reached on December 9th.
On January 8, 2026, the WTG informed us that their members have approved the final negotiation result of December 9, 2025. We are now submitting this result to you and to all employees in the sector. (The other unions are also submitting this negotiation result to their members for a vote.)
Our commitment is/was based on the extensive employee survey of May 2025 (the results of this survey can be found here here find).
You can see our commitment here read it again.
How does it look De Unie against the 2026/2027 negotiation result?
In addition to valuable agreements on job categories/job evaluation, collective labor agreements à la carte, reservists, and pensions, we spent most of our time negotiating desired income increases and the vitality budget; in our opinion, the most important topics.
Income
We have indicated in our policy letter that purchasing powerconservation at least 2,9% per year is needed, but also that we have a small purchasing powerimprovement want to agree. So only for purchasing powerconservation at least 6% is needed in 2026 and 2027 combined.
Negotiations on this point were very difficult, especially in the beginning. Employers anticipate that 2026 will be a financially challenging year for many companies in the sector. The reality is that, recently, the sector has been facing more reorganizations (and sometimes even company closures) than ever before. A significant number of companies in the sector are suffering from the stagnation in the construction and automotive industries.
Because the sector is expected to improve somewhat in 2027, we began discussions and negotiations on a longer-term collective bargaining agreement. A longer-term agreement proved (more) feasible for reaching agreements on reasonable wage increases. We have now reached agreements for a new collective bargaining agreement that runs until December 31, 2027.
For 2026, we agreed on a 3% salary increase effective April 1, 2026. For 2027, in line with a more positive business outlook, we were able to make better agreements: 1,75% on January 1, 2027, and €70 on July 1, 2027. All mentioned increases are structural.
Of course, it's a shame that the increases don't all take place on January 1st. That's what we would have preferred, of course.
But if you had to choose between (a) higher pay increases that take effect a little later or (b) pay increases that take effect earlier but are lower, the former (a) is always more beneficial in the long run.
If you look at how much wages rose at the end of the last collective bargaining agreement increase (1 July 2027), we arrive at the following wage increases:
- a salary of €2.500 now increases by 7,6%
- a salary of €3.500 now increases by 6,8%
- a salary of €4.500 now increases by 6,4%
- a salary of €5.500 now increases by 6,1%
The conclusion is that for employees with a salary of €5.500 or less, in addition to maintaining purchasing power (for which at least 6% is required), there is also a small increase in purchasing power.
Vitality budget
We have made new agreements regarding the vitality budget. The scheme is being simplified to reduce the administrative burden. The vitality budget will remain €200 per year, but the three-year savings option (€600) will be eliminated.
On the other hand, there will be more scope for spending the €200. This will no longer be limited to LekkerBezig, but also to purposes "that impact the employee's mental and/or physical well-being" at other providers. This broader wording allows for more purposes for which the employee can spend the €200.
Ready to see how Snowflake works?
As you can see between the lines, we are moderately positive about the results we have achieved.
Voting is possible until January 20
In the coming days, employees in the Technical Wholesale Trade will receive a link through which they can cast their vote (completely anonymously and confidentially) on the negotiation results. This is possible until January 20, 2026. As an employee, you do not need to be a union member to participate in this vote. The vote will be conducted by the independent research agency InnerVoice. Based on the result will De Unie determine whether this negotiation outcome can be accepted.
You can now via this link request a voting link to cast your vote.
Click here for our sector page Technical Wholesale.
Contact
If you have any further questions following this message, please contact the advocate Jan Admiraal by email jan.admiraal@unie.nl
