The 19 trade unions which make up the FNV trade union federation have failed to reach agreement on plans to reform the pension system after 16 hours of talks.

The meeting broke up around 05.00 hours this morning when the leaders of civil service union Abvakabo and general workers union Bondgenoten said they could not accept the deal and would not discuss it any further, the Volkskrant reported.
The meeting, between the 19 union leaders and the federation board, began on Monday afternoon at 14.00 hours. They hoped to reach a compromise position after several unions rejected the reforms in membership votes.
Stock exchange
The reform programme, worked out by union and employer leaders, paved the way for an increase in the state pension age from 65 to at least 66 and would have made corporate pensions more dependent on stock exchange movements.
On Tuesday morning, the FNV federation said it wanted three concessions from social affairs minister Henk Kamp before it could agree to the proposals.
In particular the FNV wants employers to recognise that the risks associated with corporate pensions are a joint responsibility. They argue the new plan puts all the risk for corporate pensions on workers.
Heavy work
The union also wants more measures to help people involved in heavy physical labour to retire at 65 without loss of income and to allow people to save up so they can cushion the financial blow if they stop work at 65 not 66.
It is not clear what will happen now. Minister Kamp has said several times if the union and employer plan flops he will come up with his own measures to raise the retirement age.
He is scheduled to give a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Volkskrant says.