De Unie asks the members whether a new UWV collective agreement may be drawn up on the basis of the negotiating result reached on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. There are many questions about the content of the negotiator's result and about the voting procedure. That is why you will receive this explanation and below again the voting form.
To vote
We ask the members (with Complete or extra membership) to vote. They have received an invitation to vote online. You can do this until Friday 17 March 2023. Your vote is secret. De Unie publishes the final score of the vote on or shortly after March 20, 2023. Would you like to read the negotiators' result again? You can here.
Report of the members' meeting
On Tuesday, March 7 De Unie organized an information meeting. A brief explanation of the negotiators' result was given at this members' meeting. There was room to ask questions and discussions took place on various controversial topics. Several members indicated that they enjoyed working through a online meeting to conduct the dialogue. They would also have liked to have had this opportunity to participate during the negotiations. It has been agreed to try to hold a members' meeting prior to the consultation for the next collective labor agreement negotiations in order to be able to hear the members properly.
The main points of discussion were:
- Nominal versus percentage salary increase;
- Duration;
- Rise in salaries compared to inflation;
- Can one trade union only conclude a collective labor agreement with UWV or must the members of all trade unions agree.
1. Nominal versus percentage salary increase
The negotiators' result offered an increase in salaries of:
- 6,5% as of January 1, 2023;
- 2,5% as of December 1, 2023.
In the various collective labor agreements, which are the last to be concluded in the government sphere, it has been decided to allow salaries to rise partially nominally (in euros). This system favors lower incomes over higher incomes. In the collective bargaining with UWV, this was ultimately not chosen.
Several members in the members' meeting indicated that they would have preferred a result with at least a partial nominal increase. I explained in the members' meeting that a partial nominal salary increase was discussed and calculated during the collective labor agreement negotiations. It was a joint decision by all four trade unions to agree on the negotiating result as it stands now.
2. Duration
Consideration was given to a term of 16 months. Several members preferred a collective labor agreement with a term of 12 months, such as De Unie also contributed to the negotiations. I explained that UWV did not want to go further than a salary increase of 12% with a term of 6 months. A higher salary increase required an extension of the term. Trade unions have warned UWV that if this negotiating result is adopted, the collective labor agreement that must take effect on 1 May 2024 will be mortgaged. And trade unions therefore want to repair the loss of purchasing power that employees have suffered in 2023. The UWV has taken note of this, but has not made any commitment.
3. Rise in salaries compared to inflation
Inflation for the year 2022 was 10%. Objective of De Unie was to agree on a 10% salary increase. Such an agreement would compensate for the loss of purchasing power of UWV employees (on average). This was not successful. The salary increase that is now offered in the negotiators' result is lower than the 10% needed to maintain purchasing power.
4. Collective Labor Agreement law
Legally, a collective labor agreement can be concluded between an employer and one trade union. Whether UWV also wants this is of course the question. The UWV has no interest in a collective labor agreement for which there is no or insufficient support. The trade unions have agreed that we will speak to each other on Monday 20 March before everyone makes the results public. If this negotiating result is rejected by the members of all trade unions, then the current proposal is off the table and negotiations will start again.
Contact
Do you have any questions regarding this message or do you have information that you are using De Unie want to share? This can be done by sending an email to: inge.de.vries@unie.nl Members who have questions about the current negotiating result will in any case receive an answer before 17 March 2023.
Have you already cast your vote? Thank you, of course you don't have to vote a second time. Haven't voted yet? Then this is still possible through Friday, March 17, 2023.
