Collective labor agreement: wage increase for all university employees
Unions and employers have reached a negotiator's agreement on a 4 percent pay increase for all university staff. AObNegotiator Donald Pechler: “The unions felt it was necessary to have a short-term wage agreement because of rising inflation.”
Statue: AOb
In the agreement, unions and employers have agreed to start a study after the summer into the legal position of lecturers at universities, with the aim of improving it. All universities must cooperate in this. Yesterday in Utrecht it was still campaigned for more permanent jobs.
Donald Pechler of the AOb: “We are stuck when it comes to permanent contracts for teachers. It is different at every university, and the legal position is also very variable at faculty and program level. We will use the coming time to really get everything above water, so that we can arrange it centrally in the coming collective agreement."
Short run time
The proposed collective labor agreement has a short term, until 1 April next year. The unions believe that employees should receive a wage increase as soon as possible, so that they can better absorb inflation. The agreement includes a salary increase of 4 percent as of 1 July 2022, plus a one-off payment in the same month.
We no longer wanted to keep employees waiting for a pay rise
Pechler: “A more extensive collective labor agreement, with more agreements than just wages, would only be possible in the autumn. We didn't want to keep employees waiting that long for a pay rise."
The most important agreements from the negotiation agreement:
- 4 percent pay raise from 1 July 2022 for all university employees.
- In July a one-off payment of 400 euros gross, in proportion to the employment. For employees with the minimum hourly wage of 14 euros per hour, this one-off payment is 750 euros gross, in proportion to the employment contract.
- Acknowledge and Appreciate becomes part of the collective agreement. This project explores how scientists can be valued differently for their scientific work. With this agreement, trade unions are involved in this project.
- As of August 1, during the parental leave 70% of the salary will continue to be paid if the leave is taken during the child's first year of life. The partial continued payment of salary applies for a maximum of thirteen weeks. Even if the salary is higher than the statutory maximum daily wage, you will receive 70 percent of that salary. Under the collective labor agreement, anyone who takes parental leave in a later year of his child's life will be paid 62,5 percent of the salary.
- The Transparent and Predictable Employment Conditions Act is elaborated in this collective labor agreement. This means, for example, that the training that employers are obligated to impose on employees should be compensated. Employees must be given time for that training within the employment contract or be compensated. Employers are also no longer allowed to include a stipulation for compulsory training that employees must reimburse the costs if, for example, they do not complete the training within a certain time or change employer.
De AOb will consult its members about this proposed collective labor agreement. Look at the negotiation agreement† English version can be found at this link.
