FNV Bondgenoten and Abvakabo FNV, the two biggest Dutch unions, want to independently discuss the elaboration of the pension agreement with Social Affairs minister Henk Kamp, after having denounced their trust in umbrella organisation FNV’s chair Agnes Jongerius.

The two unions, together with smaller union FNV Sport, voted against the pension agreement last Monday and therefore feel that Jongerius is no longer representing them. In a letter to the Ministry of Social Affairs and chair of the employers Bernard Wientjes, the unions have asked the be independently involved in the negotiations that are necessary to turn the agreement into a draft law, so that they can still have some influence.

Abvakabo and FNV Bondgenoten have said they will adhere to the federation in other social themes. Despite the split with FNV, a spokesperson for Bondgenoten told Dutch media that it is not a stab in the back of the chair or the federation.

“The letter can’t have been a surprise. It has been clear for over a week that we no longer feel represented by Jongerius in the pension dossier,” the spokesperson said.

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