Ton Heerts has been voted the new chairman of the FNV trade union federation, the country’s biggest with almost 1.4 million members.

Heerts has been acting chairman since June last year. Corrie van Brenk, who challenged Heerts for the job, will remain chairman of the civil service union Abvakabo.

Heerts said his primary task will be to ensure the government and employers stick to their side of the recent agreement on austerity measures agreed by all three parties. He also plans to overhaul the union apparatus to make it more accountable to members.