Negotiation result on new hospitality industry collective agreement

Today, trade unions FNV Horecabond and CNV and employers' organisation Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) announced that they have reached a negotiation result on a new Horeca collective labour agreement from 1 January 2025.

The social partners have reached agreements for a new Horeca collective labour agreement for the duration of 24 months. The agreements include wage development, reforming the job and salary structure, introducing loyalty leave and improving the work-life balance. 

Wage development

The industry is facing many cost increases and margins are under pressure. At the same time, employers value their employees and the sector wants to remain attractive in this tight labour market. The new collective agreement balances these interests and continues to build on an attractive basic employment conditions package for employees.

Employees are entitled to appropriate wage increases - in view of the continuing high inflation and the ever-increasing legal minimum wage. From job group III onwards, this involves a conditional increase of 2.5% from 1 January 2025, 1% from 1 July 2025 and 2.5% from 1 January 2026. At the same time, the employer has more opportunities to pursue its own remuneration policy. Pay increases given outside the collective agreement can also be settled. 

Loyalty and work-life balance

The social partners value employees who are loyal to the company, which is why loyalty leave will be introduced for employees who have been employed for 10 years or more. Furthermore, the social partners want to promote co-determination in the hotel and catering industry. During the term of the new CBA, the social partners will flesh this out further. 

To give employees more control over their work-life balance, they will have the option to indicate when they want to take overtime and overtime hours worked. Also, as is already the case for full-time employees, part-timers will be able to limit overtime and overtime from a certain level.

Marijke Vuik, chairman KHN: "The agreements made give employers more room to determine their own remuneration policy, which is a positive step. However, we do see that margins are under pressure and employers are faced with cost increases, which they cannot always pass on to the guest. At the same time, clear agreements remain very important. They create clarity for entrepreneurs and help us as an industry remain attractive to new employees, something we all benefit from."

Edwin Vlek, chairman FNV Horecabond: "It is crucial that in challenging times we also continue to look closely at the wishes and needs of employees. A key point during these negotiations was that experience continues to pay. By balancing the wage structure and lowering the age of professional maturity to 20 years, we made nice steps. Also, the agreements on work-life balance and loyalty leave ensure considerable progress for both the sector and employees."

Jacqueline Twerda, CNV director: "CNV is pleased that we have been able to reach a balanced agreement, in which, in addition to wages, steps forward have also been made in the quality of working conditions. That a skilled worker in the new CBA will not be paid according to the adult wage at 21, but at the age of 20, we consider a very important step."

From bargaining result to new Horeca collective agreement

The negotiation result will be submitted by the unions FNV Horecabond and CNV to their constituencies. KHN is seeking approval from the association's national board. By mid-November, more will be clear and it will be announced whether there will actually be a new Horeca collective labour agreement from 1 January 2025.