The FNV trade union federation has set its sights on a 5% pay rise next year, the same as its 2019 target. The union traditionally makes its pay targets public ahead of the annual budget presentation.

The FNV also wants the minimum wage to be raised to €14 for adults and more effort to be made to encourage companies to employ people on permanent, not short-term or zero hour, contracts.

According to employers organisation AWVN, wage deals agreed so far this year include average pay rises of around 3%.

The CNV, the second biggest Dutch trade union grouping, says it wants the government to scrap the freelancer tax break completely. The tax break was initiated years ago to cover extra costs which freelancers have to deal with.

The current government will announce later on Tuesday that the tax break is being gradually reduced to €5,000 but the CNV says it should go because so few self-employed people are organising their own pensions and invalidity insurance.

The organisation also wants a minimum tariff of €25 for freelance workers, not the ‘starvation rate’ of €16 envisaged by the government.