Photo Unsplash The collective labour agreement negotiations for Wageningen University (WU) and Wageningen Research (WR) have been finalised. WR’s labour agreement follows that of WU in terms of salary increase, social safety and work pressure. Moreover, an investigation is to be conducted into the similarities between the two parties’ employment conditions.
The FNV labour union presented the outcome of their negotiations for the collective labour agreement for the Dutch universities, which is to be included in the labour agreement for Wageningen University without alterations. The negotiations for Wageningen Research (WR), which followed, have since also been finalised.
All WUR employees are to receive a 3.7 per cent increase in salary as of 1 September 2024, with a further 1 per cent added on 1 January 2025. Additionally, a one-off payment of 300 euros (gross) will be made (based on a full-time contract) to each employee in September.
Both collective labour agreements include the stipulation that Contact point Social Safety is to be continued. A much-needed service, according to a report on social safety at Dutch universities, the Labour Inspectorate released in May. The report also showed that the situation in Wageningen leaves much to be desired.
Equal employment conditions
The fact that WU and WR have different collective labour agreements has been the subject of criticism for many years. WU employees have more time off and a higher end-of-year bonus than their WR colleagues. In 2022, Resource made a game revealing these inequalities.
The WR collective labour agreement’s negotiation result includes an investigation into harmonising the salaries between WU and WR. The result states that ‘an investigation will be conducted into the comparability of the labour conditions’. This includes, among others, the average number of working hours, salary, leave and public holidays.
WR employees will be consulted in due time.