Staff shortages keeping wage increases high in many Dutch sectors

Wages in the Netherlands rose by an average of 3.9 percent in June and 4.1 percent over the first six months of 2025, NU.nl reported based on figures from the employers’ organization AWVN. The high increase is due to staff shortages and trade unions’ demands for purchasing power protection.

Widespread staff shortages mean that employers in many sectors are offering high increases to retain staff and to make them more attractive to prospective employees.

Last month, 25 collective labor agreements were concluded for 270,000 employees. Wages rose the most in the hospitality industry, healthcare, construction, and agriculture.

Trade unions are also still demanding high increases to make up for recent years’ high inflation. According to trade union FNV, most employees’ purchasing power suffered considerably due to inflation, and recent wage increases have not sufficiently compensated for that.

FNV is still demanding a 7 percent increase at the collective bargaining tables. That is 4 percent to make up for the inflation of the past period, and a further 3 percent so that employees can get ahead. “We think it is high time that people start ot benefit after three years of suffering,” Petra Bolster of FNV said last month. “That is perfectly possible because most sectors are still earning enough money, and government finances are in good shape.”

According to the employers’ association AWVN, the high increases are detrimental to the Dutch economy. “We will have to look at the wage margin for each company and sector. Things are still going badly in certain parts of the industry. It is currently especially important to invest in earning capacity and productivity,” a spokesperson told the newspaper.