In response to a sharp decline in real wages, workers demanded fair compensation and improved working conditions. According to the Federal Office of Statistics (OFS), real wages have dropped by 3.1% between 2020 and 2023, marking the first time in decades that such a prolonged decrease has been recorded. This wage erosion is particularly severe given the increasing cost of living, with health insurance premiums rising nearly 15% over the past two years. These wage cuts are not just an economic issue but a reflection of a growing trend of redistributing wealth from workers to capital holders, as evidenced by record dividend payments. This has prompted the union SSP-VOPD to mobilize for fair wages and better conditions for workers.
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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.