After months of industrial action, national civil servants have been offered what amounts to a 10.5% pay rise for the coming three years and three months. The civil servants trade unions are to put the government’s offer to their members on Thursday. If it is accepted, formal talks on a collective labour agreement (CAO) will start again and industrial actions suspended.

Talks between the unions and the home affairs ministry on civil servant wages broke down at the end of last year.
Under the new offer, civil servants’ salaries will go up 6.5% by the end of March 2010, starting with a 2.5% increase this month. Their one-off year-end bonus will rise gradually to a full 13th month wage and civil servants will be given €1,200 annually in compensation for higher health insurance costs, a €100 increase from the current level.
Meanwhile, the Telegraaf reports that the cabinet’s plan to scrap a total of 15,000 civil service jobs will hit the national water board, the defence ministry and the child protection services the hardest. The cuts were agreed in the coalition government’s accord and are aimed at reducing costs by €750m.