Workplace Report (February 2005)

European news

Dutch reach nursery agreement

Unions and employers have reached agreement for the 40,000 employees employed in nurseries in the Netherlands.

The agreement, which runs for a year from January 2005, provides for a 0.75% increase in April plus a lump-sum payment of 1.0%, although this depends on the financial position of each individual nursery. Employers will also pay the bulk of any increases in medical costs.

The unions see this as a good agreement, as the employers initially wanted a pay freeze. Inflation in the Netherlands is currently 1.2% (December 2004).


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