Unions Accept Changes Social Agreement

Both unions FNV and CNV accept the changes in the Social Agreement, which follow from the budget agreement of last Friday evening. FNV chairman Ton Heerts says that he is not happy with the way how the agreement was ‘violated’. “What good does it make to have an agreement, which after a couple of months is on the table again. Are we going to see changes again around Christmas?” CNV chairman Jaap Smit has the same considerations about the process. He is a little bit milder than his FNV colleague and said already, before the meeting with FNV on Monday, that he is positive about the budget agreement. Heerts want as soon as possible a meeting with the government about the issue that the social agreement was violated from one side. Bernhard Wientjes, chairman of VNO-NCW - wikipedia Employers organization VNO-NCW has not officially responded yet but they will most probably accept the changes too. FNV, CNV and VNO-NCW are still in disagreement with many issues on the agenda, but they will not block the government now and will hold on and respect the (changed) social agreement. During the negotiations, Ton Heerts of FNV and Bernhard Wientjes, chairman of the employers organization have been informed by the minister of Social Affairs and Employment, Lodewijk Asscher.