Agreement reached in KLM ground crew contract dispute

KLM and trade union FNV reached an agreement on a collective bargaining agreement for the airline's ground crew, the union announced in a press conference on Tuesday. This brings an end to a long running dispute between the airline and union as well as to any strikes the union had planned. According to the union, KLM made an offer that includes more money, more room for temporary workers to be permanently employed and the staff members will keep their elderly days until 2023, ANP reports. The union will present the agreement to their members with the advice to accept. "Because a bottom of 50 euros increase was offered, many KLM staff members will get a more than 1 percent increase. Indeed the lowest salary group can reach nearly 3 percent." negotiator Jan van den Brink said. Last week KLM CEO Pieter Elbers stated that no more money will be invested in increasing employees' wages, as investments in aircraft and equipment is a higher priority at present. It seems FNV managed to convince him to change his mind. FNV wanted to arrange ground crew strikes to put pressure on the airline to meet their demands, but a court banned such strikes due to the risks involved in the combination of the busy summer season and ever present terrorist threats. That prohibition expired on Monday.