The education and research chapter of the Dutch Federation of Trade Unions (FNV) says the result of the negotiations is “fairly good”. According to negotiator Jan Boersma, it concerns “a substantial pay raise that will be particularly helpful to employees in the lower salary scales in covering the steadily increasing costs of living”.

Narrowly missed

Back in April, FNV and the other unions demanded a pay raise of 14 percent, but that “wasn’t going to happen”. According to FNV, they “narrowly missed” their goal to fully compensate for the decreased purchasing power for the lower scales.

To accommodate the employees in these scales, all university staff earning the minimum hourly wage of 14 euros will receive a one-off payment of 1,200 euros. This figure has been set at 1,000 euros for scale 9 and lower, and at 800 euros for scale 10 and higher.

Flexible workforce

In addition, the flexible workforce consisting of academic staff on temporary contracts is to be reduced to 13.5 percent within three years.

The negotiators will ask their members to respond to the provisional deal. By 26 July at the latest, it will be decided whether it is to be converted into a new collective agreement, which would run for 15 months: from 1 April 2023 up to and including 30 June 2024.