Trade union groups have reacted angrily to suggestions that they have agreed to moderate their pay claims next year in return for the cabinet’s decision not to make it easier to sack people.

Both the FNV and Christian CNV trade union federations issued statements on Tuesday saying that it is up to their members to determine wage levels for next year.
Wilna Wind of the FNV told ANP news service that no deal has been made on wage claims: ‘And there won’t be one…. We don’t want a wage-price spiral but we are going for an improvement in spending power.’
She did however say that an agreement has been made on redundancy payments for those who earn over €75,000 a year. ‘I am happy with the limit on golden handshakes,’ she is reported as saying.
No deal
The CNV appears to go further and says in an initial reaction that it rejects the deal between the cabinet, employers organisation VNO-NCW and the FNV on changes to the redundancy system.
‘Workers are not better off with this deal. Nothing has been done for flexible workers and those on the margins. And however you present it, this changes the rights of those made redundant,’ says the CNV.
The organisation is also not prepared to agree to limit wage claims to 3.5% for next year saying this is a matter for its members. ‘They have proved over the years that they are responsible. We don’t need pressure from the cabinet or from behind-the-scene discussions,’ the statement says.
Meanwhile the opposition Liberal VVD party has described the €75,000 ceiling on golden handshakes a ‘total fiasco’. He says employers will still be faced with lengthy and costly procedures.’
The biggest opposition party, the Socialist Party, say it is happy that changes to redundancy payments are only to be introduced for those on high incomes.
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