Fewer than 2% of the members of civil service pension scheme ABP took part in a vote about the fund’s future, which was organised by the FNV trade union federation.

ABP has some 2.8 million members, but just 44,000 exercised their vote in an online poll, news agency ANP says.

The FNV says the wage deal agreed between the government and three smaller trade unions will damage the fund because premium payments will be cut. This means payouts could go down by as much as 15%, the union says.

The FNV hoped the vote would encourage members to say whether or not they agree with this.

Of those who took part, 84% were against the wage deal, ANP says.

The union hopes this will show the strength of feeling of civil servants to both the government and other unions. Last week, it organised a public transport strike in Amsterdam and Utrecht in protest at the pension deal.