Pay rises agreed in collective bargaining with unions averaged just under 3% last month, the highest level since the financial crisis hit 10 years ago, according to employers organisation AWVN.

In total, 26 pay deals (CAOs) were sealed last month, giving workers an average pay increase of 2.96%, the AWVN said.

Earlier, the national statistics agency CBS said the average pay rise over the first three months of the year was 2.2%, prompting the organisation’s chief economist to ask why companies were not paying more, given the shortage of staff in some sectors.

The AWVN says 425 pay deals covering 3.1 million workers expire this year.