Unions and employers have booked ‘results’ in their efforts to agree a new pay and conditions agreement with budget mail firms Sandd and SelektMail, news agency ANP reports.

Junior economic affairs minister Henk Bleeker had given them until April 1 to reach a deal.
The discussions had become bogged down in the budget mail firms’ commitment to employ more staff on regular contracts, which they tried to have cancelled in court.
According to general workers union FNV Bondgenoten, the two sides have now agreed that 80% of postal delivery workers will have a permanent contract by the end of 2013.
They have also agreed freelance delivery staff will no longer have to pay for their own uniforms and will earn at least the minimum wage plus holiday pay.
At the moment, most budget company delivery staff earn a few cents for every item of post they deliver.
The deal still has to be put to union members.