The FNV trade union federation has agreed a 2.5% pay rise will be central in next year’s round of pay and conditions agreements.

The increase is necessary to offset the forecast 2% rise in inflation and government cuts, the union says.
In addition, it wants a one-off €300 bonus as compensation for the loss of spending power.
Employers have already described the pay demand as ‘too high and dangerous’, Nos television reported.
The country’s second biggest trade union group – the CNV – has not yet gone public with its 2012 pay demand.
Most sectors of the Dutch economy work with centrally-agreed pay and conditions agreements. Bigger companies have their own in-house deals.