Agreement provides for a 10 percent wage increase for secondary education
All teaching staff will receive a 1 percent pay increase retroactively from July 2023, 10. Education employees will also see a one-off payment on their pay slip in November this year and the travel allowance will be increased to 17 cents per kilometer. “This is an excellent agreement in which we have made good financial agreements,” says AObdriver Jelmer Evers.
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Since this afternoon there has been a negotiating agreement for secondary education. The agreements on wages and travel expenses also apply to all colleagues in primary education. In addition, Evers negotiated on substantive points that are only important for secondary education. The agreement has a term from May 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024, which is the same for both sectors.
The strike on October 5 is over
Evers: “We threatened a strike on October 5, which helped, because a 10 percent wage increase is very good. We were faced with a choice after the fall of the cabinet and the collective labor agreements in the other education sectors. Now that the cabinet is outgoing and the elections and formation are approaching, we could wait a year with agreements, but then you don't know whether you can still spend the money for wages afterwards or whether it will remain on the shelf. I also know that this pay increase is extremely important for many colleagues. More and more colleagues are finding themselves in trouble and we received many questions regarding the collective labor agreements in secondary vocational education, higher professional education and university education. We are now taking that space and I can positively present this agreement to my supporters.”
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The previously announced strike on October 5 has been canceled, but there will be actions leading up to the elections to put education high on the agenda of political parties. “These are necessary,” says Evers, “because we still want smaller classes and a reduction in teaching hours.”
We have agreed that colleagues in the lowest salary scales will receive the highest one-off payment
The hot issue was the agreement about wages. All teaching staff will receive a 10 percent salary increase. “This will take effect retroactively from July 1, 2023 and will be reflected in pay slips in October,” Evers explains. A one-off payment has also been agreed for November 2023. This benefit is pensionable, pro rata and the amount will depend on the salary scale you are in. “We have agreed that colleagues in the lowest job scales (1 to 5) will receive the highest benefit with 1000 euros gross,” says the AOb-Director. For employees in scales 6 to 9 it is 600 euros and for everyone in a higher scale it is 350 euros.
Travel expenses
Not only wages are increasing, travel costs have also increased - and this means a deeply cherished wish is coming true. The reimbursement per kilometer was 12 cents and has now been increased to 17 cents. “We have really taken a nice step to cover all additional costs for travel.”
We have really taken a great step to cover all additional costs for travel
Starters and interns
In addition to the increase in wages and travel costs, other agreements have been made, including for starters. “We lose one in three starters in the first five years. An important reason is that they do not receive proper guidance. Too many schools really didn't do that well. Starting next year, starters are therefore entitled to good guidance for the first three years. There was nothing about this in the collective labor agreement yet,” says Evers. There must be a good guidance plan. “It contains agreements about, among other things, guidance, intervision, observation and reducing workload by not doing mentorship. This should be the norm, but it wasn't. This is a very clear agreement and a task for all of us.”
We lose one in three starters in the first five years. An important reason is that they do not receive proper guidance
Interns in education must receive a decent internship allowance. The AOb demands a compensation of 750 euros gross for a full-time internship in all sectors. “Interns already received compensation in the government, but in a sector with shortages the red carpet must have been rolled out for new colleagues. Not paying an internship allowance is unacceptable. An internship allowance does place a burden on the budget of schools. That is why there should be an internship fund, just like in healthcare. That is not possible without The Hague and we are now discussing that.”
Supporters and fair participation
A step has also been taken for educational support colleagues. They will have more opportunities for good professionalization. If they submit a plan to their managers about which training they want to follow, they can receive more hours - 43 hours per year - for professionalization. “It shows the appreciation for this group of colleagues.”
Support staff are given more opportunities for good training
For colleagues with a participation job - they are more distant from the labor market - fairer agreements are now on paper. “They now also receive an end-of-year bonus and holiday pay. We are putting an end to the separate salary scales for this group. Good employers already do that. It is now our intention to make this possible for the entire sector.”
Company emergency response
Evers also agreed with the other unions and employers on an increase in the compensation for company emergency response. This monthly fee increases to 25 euros.
Workload
Only on the subject of work pressure were the unions and the employers' organization VO Council unable to reach agreement. “That was the decision we now had to make. Now make up for the enormous loss of purchasing power and fully focus on the elections and the formation. Our position remains intact. We want to increase the number of starting moments from 24 to 20 and provide a clear description of the teaching task.”
Negotiations will therefore continue on this point and according to the AOb-director, the elections and the subsequent formation are of great importance. “We want to take bigger steps, and we cannot arrange this with employers alone. We also need the ministry. That is why actions remain important towards the elections. Ultimately it is a political choice. We want an attractive profession and enough teachers.”
It has been agreed that a study will be conducted - together with the ministry and employers - into the workload resources and how they are used and whether this is done satisfactorily.
The final word now belongs to the members
Poll
“There is now an agreement, we have worked hard on it. The final word now belongs to the members,” says Evers. All AObMembers will receive an email today with an invitation to the poll - which runs until September 21. The sector council will then speak AOb comments on the negotiating agreement.
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The collective labor agreement negotiators explain the agreements in detail and answer questions.
