Sunday 19 January 2020

Care sector unable to hold on to staff

Care sector unable to hold on to staff

Government efforts to combat the staffing crisis in the care sector are inadequate because of a lack of career perspectives and insufficient work challenges, an independent commission has found. The care sector remains a ‘colander’ leaking staff, the commission warned. Almost half the people signing up for a job in care leave within two years. A lack of prospects and unchallenging work are the most cited causes, with low salaries only coming in at seventh place. Last year 110,000 people... More >

Wages rise 2.5%, inflation goes up 2.6%

Wages rise 2.5%, inflation goes up 2.6%

Workers in the Netherlands whose pay is negotiated collectively saw their wages rise an average of 2.5% last year, the biggest increase in 10 years, national statistics agency CBS says. However, the increase is marginally below inflation, which rose 2.6% in 2019 as a whole. It is the first time in five years that inflation has outstripped collective (CAO) wage rises, the CBS said. The biggest rise – 3.1% – went to people working in the hospitality industry, where there... More >

Union members back hospital pay deal

Union members back hospital pay deal

Members of the FNV’s hospital unions have voted in favour of the pay deal for hospital staff agreed two weeks ago. The deal covers 200,000 hospital workers, excluding teaching hospitals, and was approved by 88% of FNV members. It gives hospital workers an 8% pay rise over 27 months and higher compensation for irregular hours. Trainees and interns will also get substantial pay rises. In addition, hospital workers will get a €1,200 bonus in January. In November, hospital workers staged... More >

Healthcare interns are worked too hard

Healthcare interns are worked too hard

The healthcare sector may lose hundreds of much-needed prospective workers because of the way interns are being exploited, union FNV has said. The union set up an online complaints register in November after radio programme Reporter Radio looked at the problems facing interns working for health care organisations. Interns’ biggest complaint was being used to replace regular members of staff, followed by a lack of coaching and unsafe working conditions. The latter included having to carry out complex procedures like... More >

Finance freelancers to get equal rights

Finance freelancers to get equal rights

Several companies operating in the financial sector are planning to improve the position of freelancers and people on flexible contracts, the Financieele Dagblad reported on Tuesday. Bank ING and insurance groups Achmea, Nationale Nederland, ASR and VGZ are poised to sign a code of conduct with the unions in which they agree to treat flexible workers in a similar way to regular staff, the paper said. In total the deal will cover some 10,000 self employed and workers on flexible... More >

Wages may rise by more than forecast

Wages may rise by more than forecast

Wages may rise by an average of 3.1% next year, according to calculations by employers organisation AWVN on behalf of the Financieele Dagblad. This year, 148 pay deals covering 942,000 workers have been sealed, generating an average pay rise of 3.4%, the AWVN says. ‘The average is high because it includes the big pay deals for the hospitality and engineering sectors, where hefty salary rises were agreed,’ AWVN analyst Laurens Harteveld told the paper. ‘If the rest of the pay... More >

Disabled worse off despite UN Convention

Disabled worse off despite UN Convention

People with disabilities and the chronically ill are poorer, and still finding it difficult to access care, support and special education despite the ratification of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the Netherlands in 2016. The findings are part of a report compiled by five special interest groups who call themselves the Alliance UN Convention and is based on interviews with people with disabilities as well as specialist organisations and a survey. The report states... More >

Bar, restaurant staff shortages grow

Bar, restaurant staff shortages grow

A shortage of staff is now affecting a record 35% of cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels in the Netherlands, according to new figures from nationals statistics agency CBS. The situation is even more acute in Amsterdam, where almost 40% of cafes and bars say they don’t have sufficient workers. There are now around 23,000 vacancies in the hospitality sector, compared with just 6,700 in 2013 as the Netherlands emerged from the financial crisis. Some cafes and bars are even being... More >

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