Two-year settlement for childcare staff in the Netherlands

Unions representing 95,000 employees working in childcare in the Netherlands have reached agreement on pay increases in 2012 and 2013.

The settlement, signed on 26 March, runs for 24 months from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013, but employees will not receive an increase until 1 May 2012, when their pay will go up by 2.0%. This is followed by a 1.5% increase on 1 January 2013 and 0.5% on 1 June the same year.

Although the settlement this year is less than inflation, which is currently 2.5% (March), it does provide an increase at a time when there is growing pressure for pay freezes. ABVAKABO, the largest union involved says it is “positive” about the result.