‘Slowdown means firms can be more flexibile on working conditions’

Companies should be able to make changes to working conditions more quickly at times of crisis, social affairs minister Henk Kamp says in a briefing to MPs on Monday.


The minister is working on a proposal to reform the current ‘dispensation policy’ which will allow companies to deviate from nationally-agreed pay and conditions agreements if the economic situation requires, the Financieele Dagblad reports.
At the moment, pay deals are usually applied to entire sectors, even if individual companies were not part of the negotiations. But Kamp wants to limit that by drawing up new rules to allow firms to avoid national pay deals.
Pay rises
Christian Democrat MP Eddy van Hijum told the paper companies hit by the economic crisis may be able to avoid going under if they do not have to meet nationally-agreed deals such as a pay rise.
Unions are opposed to any changes. They argue that unions and employers already have the right to re-examine pay deals if necessary.
The FD also says Kamp wants pay and conditions agreements to include measures to reduce the number of people taking early retirement.

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