Members of the general workers union FNV Bondgenoten on Monday voted against the new pension plan worked out by unions, ministers and employers earlier this year.

The union’s leadership had campaigned for a no vote and of the 22.7% of the members who voted 96% rejected the plan, reports news agency ANP.
The plan allows for a rise in state pension age from 65 to at least 66 and will make corporate pensions more dependent on stock exchange movements.
Bondgenoten says this will make it impossible for low-wage earners to retire early, put too much risk onto pensioners and hit younger workers hard.
Civil service union Abvakabo is also opposed but the result of its vote will not be known until early September.
Together the two unions hold 45% of the votes on the FNV federation council, making them crucial if the reforms are to be introduced.
The building workers union FNV Bouw is also critical but is not holding a membership vote. This union’s standpoint is one of: yes, providing. It wants to keep the pension age of 65 for people who do heavy work without any reduction in the amount of pension they receive.
The FNV federation as a whole will decide its position on September 12.