4 July 2024

The Universities of the Netherlands and the employee organisations have reached a preliminary negotiation agreement on the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities 2024-2025. This includes agreements made about a structural salary increase, a one-off payment and approaches to social safety and pressure of work. The CLA parties will present the negotiation agreement to their members and will endeavour to conclude a definitive agreement effective from 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025.

Structural salary increase and one-off payment

Universities want to continue to do the best for their staff, in spite of the uncertain financial situation universities are currently facing. It is in this light that under this CLA salaries will first be raised by 3.7 per cent as of 1 September 2024, and in 2025 by 1.0 per cent. With this responsible salary agreement, employers and unions are signalling their willingness to work together to address the challenges facing our sector. Employees will also receive a one-off payment. Based on a full-time employment contract, this will be € 300 gross.

Social safety

Universities and unions together want to bring about an improvement in social safety at universities. This is an issue that warrants our continuing attention. A change in culture is needed within universities in order to achieve a socially safe working environment. The CLA parties therefore agree that universities will invest in awareness, will create a central reporting point at every institution and in the autumn of 2024 will evaluate the position of the ombuds officer. These are additional measures on top of the steps that universities are already taking. Last month, for example, universities signed the covenant on social safety with the FNV, AOB, PNN, ISO and LSVb, and are working on a joint plan of approach for social safety.

Pressure of work

In addition, the CLA parties want to take a further step in dealing with pressure of work by connecting the causes of work pressure in a more structured way with relevant solutions at all levels of the universities. The report by the Netherlands Labour Authority, the sector report on pressure of work and the Working Conditions Catalogue will form the basis for future measures. The CLA parties also stress the importance of taking leave in connection with recuperation and workload, and will start a campaign in the coming CLA period to reduce pressure of work.

Subsequent steps

The CLA parties will present the negotiation agreement to their members and will endeavour to conclude a definitive agreement effective from 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. HRM will then map out the impact of the new agreements for Leiden University and, in cooperation with the faculties, will draw up a plan of action for their implementation. If a CLA agreement is reached, the terms agreed still have to be converted into a definitive CLA text, which the editorial committee of Universities of the Netherlands expect to start working on in September.

Want to know more? Read the news item of Universities of the Netherlands or read the full negotiation agreement, with all the agreements made (currently both only in Dutch).