For quite a while, the negotiations were deadlocked. The universities tried to appease the unions last summer with a small salary increase, but the unions considered it insufficient. The unions would have preferred to have seen something done about the high level of work pressure. At the start of this year, research by the FNV union showed that seventy percent of university employees found their work pressure too high. Universities' association VSNU recognized the problem but saw no value in a one-size-fits-all approach. In the agreement reached by the negotiators it is laid down that before the end of this year every university will write an action plan. This will clarify how they will reduce work pressure and ensure employees remain "deployable over the long term".

Another point agreed is that after a period of maternity leave female PhD candidates will automatically be entitled to an extension of their contract. The Scientists' Union (VAWO) is delighted with this. “Until now, many female PhD candidates who became pregnant during their doctoral study had less time to devote to their study or had to complete it in their own time,” says director Donald Pechler. The regulation does not apply to postdocs; they have already attained their doctorate and have a different employment contract. Universities and unions are urging the Minister of Social Affairs to amend legislation to enable them to also benefit from this new agreement.

As of January 1st, i.e. with retroactive force, university employees are to receive a structural salary increase of 1.4 percent. This is in addition to the salary increase of 0.8 percent that the universities have been paying since September 2016.