Where are the problems with the collective labor agreement for primary education?
Negotiations for a new collective labor agreement in primary education stalled last week. Yesterday it was announced that Mariëtte Hamer, chairman of the Social and Economic Council, will mediate. Which topics are important according to the AOb?
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The joint unions demanded a wage increase of 2019 percent for the year 5. Only then can a start be made to close the pay gap. As long as there is no extra structural money from the cabinet, that step cannot be taken. The AOb is after consultation of members sit at the negotiating table to ensure that the money that is available is paid out as quickly as possible.
For 2019, the government has allocated 3,13 percent for the normal annual wage increase. The wage margin for 2020 is still secret. The employers' organization PO Council has received an estimate from the cabinet, but does not share it with the unions. That kind unnecessary secrecy Incidentally, always complicates collective bargaining.
The joint unions demanded a wage increase of 2019 percent for the year 5
Estimate
The negotiators of the AOb have been able to make an estimate based on their knowledge and available information. This will probably be 2020 percent for 2,9, so roughly 0,24 percent per month. The fear was that some of this would have to go towards rising pension contributions, but that concern was allayed last week by Minister Wouter Koolmees of Social Affairs.
With that data, the unions have put the requirement of 3 percent on the table for the twelve months: from March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020. This concerns the 2,5 percent wage margin for 2019 and for two months of 0,5 percent of 2020.
Employers offered 3 percent from August 1, 2019 to July 1, 2020. These other data cost members nearly a full percent wage increase. The AOb calculates from the expiry date of the previous CLA: 1 March 2019. When the wage increase applies until 1 July 2020, we are talking about sixteen months instead of twelve. That is, there should be a 4 percent pay rise over that period. One percent more, which has an effect on the pension and social schemes.
For the AOb it is very important that primary education does not continue to lag behind other sectors. There, the average wage increase is around 3 percent per year. With a term until July 1, 2020, a bid of 4 percent is required.
For the unions, there is some stretch in the term, in connection with costs for other teaching staff, such as a better grading of educational support staff and directors. The employers want to deduct the costs now, while those improvements will only take effect on August 1, 2020. The AOb believes that these costs can only be included when they are actually there, but a one month longer term until 1 August 2020 is therefore negotiable.
Margins within the collective labor agreement are and will remain tight, which is why we are staying in the meantime campaigning for structural extra money for primary education.
Position of educational support staff and (deputy) directors
Members regularly comment that it is now the turn of education support staff and (deputy) directors in the agreements for a new collective labor agreement. That is right and also an important subject for the AOb.
Last year, the extra salary increase – structurally 270 million euros – was only available for adjusting the job descriptions and salaries for teachers. This was explicitly included in the coalition agreement and the money therefore had a fixed destination: teachers' salaries.
After the adjustment of the teacher positions, the focus is now mainly on the positions of oop and school leaders
In the current collective labor agreement negotiations, the AOb firmly committed to a renewed balanced wage structure. After all, Oop'ers and school leaders are essential for the proper functioning of a school. This means that, after the adjustment of the teacher's functions, we now mainly look at these functions.
New example functions have been created that, if a chord is concluded, will serve as a touchstone. A job series has been created for the teaching assistants, so that growth is possible. Boards must update their functions before August 1, 2020. As long as there is no agreement, the example functions do not apply yet.
Non-statutory benefits
Those who work in primary education are entitled to unemployment benefits if they become unemployed, just like everyone else. In addition, agreements have been made in the collective labor agreement about an additional unemployment benefit, the extra-statutory benefit. Employers do not have to pay the costs for unemployment benefits one-to-one themselves. The distribution costs are reimbursed by the Participation Fund, and are paid from the premium that all school boards pay to that fund.
The PO council and politicians believe that the extra statutory benefit can be cut back even further. They believe that employees use benefits for too long. However, the duration of benefit was already cut back in 2016, due to the introduction of the transition payment for special education. In 2018, the scheme was again cut back because the cabinet had made it a condition to make the 270 million euros available for teachers' salaries. These agreements from 2018 will only take effect on 1 January 2020 because they are related to the entry into force of the Balanced Labor Market Act.
The PO council and politicians believe that the extra statutory benefit can be cut back even further
Extra appointments
In addition, additional agreements have been made in the negotiation agreement for the CLA 2018 to continue discussing the technical implementation of those schemes when the new law is introduced in the event of economic dismissal, such as in the case of downsizing or other reasons for redundancy of employees. The transition payment can then, for example, make way for an equivalent scheme or be set off against another scheme, but with options for the employees. It is important to add that the social partners 'have the intention of making the best possible use of these measures.'
The PO Council now only focuses on the equal settlement or settlement, whereby limiting the costs for the transition payment seems to be the most important goal.
Trade unions want a broader discussion in which the measures are used as effectively as possible. The AOb therefore wants an agreement on measures that get people to work and therefore out of benefits and agreements that counter redundancies.
In short: trade unions want to ensure that primary education remains an attractive sector, where good employment practices are the norm. Especially at a time when economic redundancies do not in principle occur - in fact, there is a great teacher shortage - unions consider this conversation important. The AOb has indicated that it would still like to discuss the entire package, in relation to an employment guarantee. For trade unions, this is an inseparable part of being a good employer in a time of shortages.
Also read: Negotiations new collective labor agreement for primary education stalled
