V&D, union negotiations increasingly strained

The Unions CNV and FNV no longer want to negotiate with V&D about the salary cut that the company wants to implement on its staff, because V&D still intends to continue with the appeal against the recent ruling by the court that forbade the cut. "V&D can not gamble on two horses at once" CNV director Martijn den Heijer told NRC. HIs colleague at FNV Niels Suijker agrees. "Suppose V&D wins the appeal, then they will go with the old plan." Last month the court ruled that V&D could not force a pay cut on their employees. V&D appealed against the decision. It is not yet known when the appeal case will appear before the court, but the unions' lawyer has already received a request to indicate when he is available. V&D hopes to reach an agreement with the unions today on the forthcoming dismissal of 50 people employed at the service center in V&D's headquarters in Amsterdam. The unions criticize the lack of a social plan. The redundant employees recently received a letter from benefits agency UWV asking whether they can defend against their dismissal. This letter outraged the letter as it seems to indicate that the reorganization is already happening, without V&D waiting for their advice or a social plan. V&D denied that it has already started with the dismissals.