With an ambitious reform plan for the labor market, the trade union movement FNV is involved in the election campaign. The permanent job must be returned as the norm in that plan.
Zero-hour contracts and on-call contracts must be prohibited as far as the FNV is concerned, self-employed persons who actually just work in companies must be hired. The plan will be presented on Saturday by Tuur Elzinga, vice-chairman and candidate to succeed chairman Han Busker in March.
Elzinga, on behalf of the FNV, concluded the General Pension Agreement with employers and the government in 2019. This summer, an agreement on the elaboration followed. The cabinet is now in the process of drawing up a new Pension Act in consultation with the social partners.
Great reform
Elzinga aims for a major reform of all work rules. “This has been talked about for years, but little is happening. For example, the cabinet had plans to tighten the rules for the self-employed. That will not happen. The corona crisis makes it clear to everyone that things are not going well. There is a major social crisis. The weakest, the flex workers and bogus self-employed, were immediately faced with it. They lost their jobs. There is a follow-up to come with reorganisations that will affect people with steady employment. ”
According to Elzinga, there is a parallel with the pension discussion. “That has been talked about in vain for ten years. Until it became clear that it really couldn’t go any further. The labor market has been talked about for years. Piles of reports have appeared. But now, due to corona, it is clear to everyone that things have to be done differently. The FNV has been arguing for a higher minimum wage for years, now everyone is talking about it. We have to strike the iron while it’s hot. No words but deeds.’
Low-wage country
He envisages a comprehensive “plan of labor”. That must start with a vision of the future of the Dutch economy. “We were a country of high labor productivity and innovation. Now we have become a kind of low-wage country. Look at the food industry. In meat production, many cheap labor migrants work against very poor working conditions. We must focus on innovation. See Brainport Eindhoven, but also the energy transition. ”
For Elzinga, such a vision is closely related to employment conditions. “Take Germany for example. Wages are much higher there, as is labor productivity. We need to get rid of Anglo-Saxon thinking about low wages and short-term profit thinking. ”
False self-employed
That is why Elzinga wants to limit flex work to temporary work for “peak and sick”, to handle peaks in production and replace sick employees. “Bogus self-employed people” who actually work as cheap labor in organizations must receive a permanent contract. More than a million flex workers and bogus self-employed people will have to find a permanent job in the next four years. At the same time, taxes on income should be reduced and for businesses increased. “Shell proudly reported that it paid 3 percent tax. That is crazy. The baker around the corner pays more. ”
“The permanent job as the norm provides income security. Then people can buy a house. The lowest wages must go up because of the increase in the minimum wage, the benefits must follow that. The AOW will therefore increase even more. Small and medium-sized businesses are benefiting because these people spend their money in stores, around the corner from the store. ”
Elzinga does not expect rave reviews from political parties or employers. Broadly speaking, the same ideas exist in the left section of the House of Representatives, but they will meet with resistance in particular from VVD, CDA and D66. “But after the parliamentary elections in March, business can be done,” Elzinga thinks. “Regardless of the result. With the Pension Agreement we have shown that the FNV can also do business with a right-wing cabinet. I expect that the employers are ready to go. ”
