FNV temporarily suspends strikes for improved hard physical labor scheme

Trade union FNV temporarily suspends new strikes for an "improved and permanent hard physical labor scheme" until December 1. The union wants to give the government and employers time to discuss this scheme until that date but emphasizes that a better scheme must be found than the proposal on Friday morning. "If that does not work, heavier strikes will follow from December 1 than those in September."

Earlier in the day, the CNV union also said it was not planning any actions for now. At FNV, the decision had to be taken by a special strike council, which did not meet until Friday evening.

The current scheme, which allows people with hard physical labor jobs to retire a few years earlier, will expire at the end of next year. The unions are pushing for a better scheme, especially a structural scheme, and have recently campaigned for this, including going on strike.

For example, police officers stopped working during football matches and railway company NS and regional transporters were faced with work stoppages. New actions were planned for the week of 14 to October 20. But they will no longer take place, although new actions remain in the air.

"Tonight, it has become clear that everyone is happy that we are back at the table, but the end result has to be a lot better than what Minister Van Hijum has offered so far," says FNV chief negotiator Piet Rietman. "Our strikers are prepared to rally their colleagues again for a larger round of strikes if that better deal does not come."

FNV does not want to say exactly how the talks with the minister have gone so far. According to the union, the negotiating parties have agreed not to make any statements about the exact content. That should give them the space they need.

Employers' organization VNO-NCW responded positively to CNV's announcement earlier on Friday. The lobby organization also said it realized that strikes are "very annoying" for a broad public.

Minister Eddy van Hijum (Social Affairs) called the CNV announcement encouraging. He said that the talks are "constructive" and that the words of CNV underlined that. "I read that people are confident that the talks will go well and offer perspective, that makes me hopeful."