Negotiating parties reach agreement on collective labour agreement for Dutch universities
Press release
Negotiators representing the VSNU employers' organisation and employees' organisations Abvakabo FNV, CNV Publieke Zaak, VAWO/CMHF and AC-FBZ have reached an agreement on the 2015-2016 Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU). Among other issues, the parties agreed on a structural pay rise totalling 3.0%, supplemented with a one-off payment of €350 gross in 2016. They also reached agreement on the further improvement of career perspectives for academic staff.
The collective agreement (CAO) is valid for the period from 1 January 2015 to 1 July 2016. The 50,000 employees covered by the CAO will be offered a structural pay rise in two increments. Salaries will be structurally increased by 2.0% effective 1 January 2015 and by 1.0% effective
1 January 2016. Employees will also receive a one-off payment of €350 gross on 1 June 2016. Agreement was also reached on the further improvement of career perspectives and specific arrangements ensuing from the implementation of the new Work and Security Act
(Wet werk en zekerheid).
Improving career perspectives
The parties have agreed that universities will work to improve the career perspectives of lecturers, researchers and doctoral candidates. Universities will also strive to reduce the number of flexible teaching and research contracts.
Work and Security Act
The new Work and Security Act contains various measures set to affect universities, including provisions on successive employment contracts. The parties to the CAO have agreed to align the CAO with university business practice wherever possible. Specific measures set out in the new Work and Security Act will need to be examined in further detail, and will be the subject of further consultation between the parties during the first half of 2015.
The agreement has yet to be submitted to the various groups represented by the VSNU and employees' organisations. If these consultations have a positive outcome, the CAO will become definitive on 9 January 2015.
You can read the agreement and appendix here.
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