drivers); logistical professions (warehousing, distribution); technical professions; indirect
professions (administration, planning, financial, management, HRM, IT, et cetera).
The two collective agreements in the industry have evolved substantially. For example,
the KNV agreement consists of twelve chapters. Each is regulating particular issues such
as the general norms; wages; functions; additional hours; weekend hours; supplements;
compensation; holidays and work time reduction; training and development; and other
issues. In addition, seventeen annexes have been attached to the agreement including
protocols, regulations and legal texts that explain in more detail the main text of the
agreement. The annexes relate to issues regarding the binding advice in case of disputes
on the stipulations of the agreement; the function and wage schemes; procedural rules in
case of lodging an appeal; the role of the function appreciation committee; a standard
wage formula; policies for ageing of employees; working hours; a standard labour
contract; dismissal regulation; advice on the ‘in company’ rules on norms and obligations
for management and employees; advice on social plans in case of reorganizations of
enterprises, exemptions, and systematic protocol for calculating additional hours.
In material terms the wage levels in the KNV agreement are at a somewhat lower level
than in the TLN agreement. This is compensated by the larger extent of labour time
reduction in the KNV agreement. Especially older workers (older than 50 years in age)
have been granted the right to 18 additional days of work time reduction. Moreover, the
KNV agreement includes more qualitative issues, such as training and employability,
labour time reduction and older workers. The separate agreement for the 120 KNV
members allows them negotiate more qualitative issues, to be self-responsible and to
distinguish themselves to competitors, and to anticipate a further decentralization of
decision-making competences in wage setting.
The social partners in the Netherlands cooperate in many social funds that have been
agreed about in collective bargaining. All the funds are administered on a bi-partite basis
by the unions and the employers’ associations, allowing for intense contacts between
trade unions and employers’ associations.21 The following five funds are established:
1. the pension fund, established in 1964, that regulates the industrial pensions of
employees
2. the early retirement fund. Originally funded as a pay-as-you-go system, the scheme
was changed into a capital-accumulation system by April 2001. It now contains a
transition period for employees in age 21-54.
3. the training scheme (vakopleiding transport en logistiek) that provides for the
apprentice schemes for new employees.
4. the occupational health scheme (bedrijfsgezondheidzorg) that studies, control and
improves working conditions, safety and health. It is also responsible for the
reintegration of inactive workers.
In addition to TLN, KNV, FNV, CNV, also the VVT (Association for vertical transport, Vereniging vertikaal
transport, formerly known as FNK) cooperates in the administration of these funds.
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