In August 2019, Albert Heijn contacted De Unie and her colleague unions to discuss the collective labor agreement for offices and the collective labor agreement for store management. Albert Heijn had previously canceled these two collective labor agreements. And she wanted to modernize the collective agreements.
In response, I asked you and your colleagues in August 2019 what our wishes are with regard to these two collective labor agreements. The conclusion from these reactions can be summarized simply: we want to keep what we have now. The supporters of FNV and CNV were the same in the game
Conduct of collective labor agreement negotiations
At the beginning of the consultations with Albert Heijn, there were no real negotiations. De Unie and her fellow unions did not feel the need to adjust the collective labor agreements. Albert Heijn has explained a number of times what ideas she had about changing the terms of employment.
In the course of 2020 we decided to focus only on the collective labor agreement for offices. This was mainly due to the new store organization that Albert Heijn wanted to introduce. We did realize that the things we would agree on for the CLA Offices would also be discussed during the negotiations on the CLA Shop Management.
At the end of 2020, the talks took on the character of negotiations. We didn't really agree on that. Our last day of negotiations was February 23, 2021. The unions then made a final proposal to get out of the impasse. Albert Heijn then asked for time to think about this proposal. Partly due to the takeover of the DEEN supermarkets by Albert Heijn, your employer has never formally responded to our proposal of February 23, 2021.
In December 2021, Albert Heijn came back on the air with us about the CLA Offices. We explored in an informal meeting on January 12, 2022 whether there was room to resume negotiations. In that informal meeting, Albert Heijn indicated that it would more or less return to its original commitment.
The commitment of Albert Heijn
Your employer's commitment basically boils down to the following:
- Reduce the total number of days off from 45 to 37 days per year. For this reduction, the current employees are compensated for a period of 7 years (so 7*8 = 56 days).
- The number of extra vacation days due to age is capped at 5 days. The current employees will receive compensation for their perspective for the next 5 years. So, for example, if you are now 55 years old, you will receive 60 extra days in the year that you turn 2 as compensation.
Looking at this commitment, it is not difficult to conclude that on balance the employment conditions will deteriorate. That is not acceptable to us.
We have had several conversations in recent weeks to see whether Albert Heijn wants to arrive at different insights. That did not work. We therefore have no agreement on a new CLA for Offices, and therefore also not on a new CLA for Store Management. The negotiations have therefore stopped.
Next step?
Nothing will change for the current employees. An employer may not unilaterally change the terms of employment. All rights and obligations arising from the current Collective Labor Agreements for Offices and Store Management remain in full force and effect. It is important that you do not individually agree to other employment conditions. Because then those terms of employment apply to you.
For new employees, Albert Heijn can choose whether to apply the CLA Offices or the CLA Shop Management, or whether it offers new employees a different package of employment conditions. We do not think the latter is a desirable situation. Equal work means equal working conditions.
Questions or remarks?
Do you have any questions or comments? Please contact the representative Hans Korver. You can reach him via hans.korver@unie.nl or on 06-5252 2073.
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