Not only an increase in wages, but also “more” permanent jobs. This is the FNV union’s commitment to next year’s collective labor agreement negotiations.

FNV wants to end what the union calls “the proliferation of flexible structures”. As a result, employees have less say in their work and less influence on their collective labor agreement. According to FNV Vice President Zakaria Buvengasha, agreements have already been concluded, but this is not enough.

“Now we’re calling for action, and more contracts for an indefinite period of time for all the structural work out there. And it’s not the nearly token few that employers come up with now. A fair labor market starts with good collective labor agreements.”

According to the federation, young people, women, and people of immigrant background in particular have access to flexible and low-paid work while doing indispensable and crucial work. FNV says working in, say, distribution centers and supermarkets should be more valuable.

Extra 100 Euros per month

According to the FNV, this assessment should come in the form of a total of €100 per month per employee. This way you reduce wage differentials, says Buffengasha. “To make the work of low-paid people in a crucial occupation more attractive, they need more wages and new colleagues.”

According to the union, wages should also be automatically compensated for inflation so that no one suffers a loss in purchasing power. With an inflation rate of 2 percent and an extra 100 euros per month, that would equate to a 7.9 percent wage increase for someone with minimum wages. For middle-income employees, this would be a 5.5 percent pay increase.

Each year, the day before Budget Day, the FNV announces wage requirements with which the union enters into negotiations for new collective labor agreements. Last year, FNV In the 5 per cent wage requirement for vital professions and sectors where things have gone well despite Corona. The union has also been aiming for a minimum wage of €14 an hour for years.