General workers union FNV Bondgenoten will announce on Monday whether its members have voted to accept the new pension reform plan worked out by unions, ministers and employers earlier this year.

Bondgenoten support is crucial to the success of the reforms and the union’s leadership had campaigned for a no vote.
It claims the new system will put too much risk on the shoulders of pensioners and hit younger workers too hard.
The plan envisages a rise in the state pension age from 65 to at least 66 and will make corporate pensions more dependent on stock exchange movements.
Opposition
The leadership of civil service union Abvakabo is also opposed but the result of its vote will not be known until the first week in September. The building workers union FNV Bouw is also critical.
Last week, the FNV-affiliated catering workers union narrowly backed the plan but only 7% of members actually took part in the vote.
The FNV federation as a whole will decide its position on September 12. Bondgenoten and Abvakabo ccount for 45% of votes on the federation’s council.