Trade unions CNV and FNV have cancelled the strike that was set to begin on Monday at Villeroy & Boch. Under pressure from its own employees, the Roden-based sanitary ware manufacturer made an improved final offer for the new collective labour agreement (CLA). A small majority of union members approved the offer on Friday morning.
"This means the new CLA is now a reality," says CNV representative Stijn Duursma. "But it was a close call. On one hand, because the improved offer came just in time—we were already preparing to send out strike notices. On the other hand, the improved offer still fell short of inspiring widespread enthusiasm. Only a slim majority voted in favour, and many members admitted agreeing with significant reservations."
7% over 16 months
The roughly 100 employees at Villeroy & Boch, a company well-known in the Netherlands for its bathroom and toilet designs, will see a total salary increase of 7% under the new agreement: 3% on July 1, 2024, 2% on January 1, 2025, and another 2% on July 1, 2025. The agreement spans a duration of 16 months.
Understandable doubts
Duursma sympathises with the union members' hesitation. In 2024, Villeroy & Boch surpassed an annual revenue of €1 billion for the first time, alongside an operational profit of €64.5 million. However, according to the CNV negotiator, employees feel a lack of respect and appreciation. "They were hoping for more than just inflation adjustments—a small boost to their purchasing power would have been welcome," he says. "But there's still no purchasing power improvement included. On the other hand, striking is a drastic measure and not something to undertake lightly. I understand the hesitation."
Agreements for next year
"Interestingly, the same thing happened last year," Duursma continues. "At that time, management initially presented a very poor wage offer and refused to negotiate. It was only under the threat of a strike that a minor improvement was made. We don't want to go through this again. That's why we've already secured some preliminary protocol agreements for next year."
More information:
CNV
www.cnv.nl
FNV
www.fnv.nl