Cabinet may delay redundancy reforms

Tuesday 20 November 2007

Delaying plans to reform the laws on redundancy would be ‘a possible solution’ to the impasse, social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner said on Tuesday, news agency ANP reports.

The plans, and other controversial issues, were to have been discussed in a high-level cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning but the gathering was cancelled at the last moment. No reason for the cancellation was given, ANP says.

The AD newspaper said on Tuesday morning that ministers may decide to delay the reforms because no way out of the political stalemate can be found. Labour ministers and MPs are totally opposed to the Christian Democrat backed reforms.

The paper says the CDA is prepared to drop them if Labour finance minister Wouter Bos changes his plans to curb executive pay. Labour is opposed to Donner’s plans, saying they weaken protection for workers.

A survey by tv programme EénVandaag on Tuesday shows that eight out of 10 Labour voters believe the party should stand firm in its opposition. MPs have threatened to cause a cabinet crisis over the issue.

René Paas, chairman of the Christian CNV federation, urged the cabinet to take a decision. ‘Ministers are looking for a political solution to a political problem,’ he said. ‘But this is doing nothing to help people get a job.

Donner and the reforms’ supporters say they will generate up to 100,000 jobs.

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