‘Tampering with CLA will make workers vulnerable’

Minister Kamp wants to make it easier to deviate from collective labour agreements that have been extended to a sector by law. In this way, he wants to respond to the labour market becoming more flexible and more individualistic. There have also been motions from MP’s who want more control over the contents of CLA’s, Trouw reports. The newspaper quotes a response from FNV Board Member Catelene Passchier:

The MP’s are concerned over an issue they don’t really understand. In his letter, Kamp emphasizes the interest of the polder [institutionalized labour relations]. In addition, he writes that there is sufficient support for the CLA negotiations. So what problem is he trying to solve?

A spokesperson of employers’ organisation AWVN also has his doubts about Kamp’s initiative:

CLA’s function properly. The fact that cleaners and employers reached a CLA this week, shows that social partners are motivated to reach a solution.

Former Minister of Social Affairs Bert de Vries (social-democrat) warns for negative consequences of tampering with CLA’s:

As a minister, I have looked into ways to allow exceptions to CLA’s that have been extended to an entire sector. But this is not a real economic problem. The housing market, pensions, those are far more important. If we start tampering with CLA’s, I’m afraid that people who aren’t in a very strong position to begin with will become even more vulnerable.”