Green light for new cao UMCs
UMC employees are getting a new cao. The members of four of the five unions involved have approved the negotiation result achieved on February 16. The unions had until March 18 to canvas their members’ opinion. Now it is just a question of signing it, and then the new cao is officially a fact. The agreements apply to all UMC employees.
One of the five unions – the LAD – stated that it did not agree with the present negotiation result. In particular, it was not happy with the working conditions for medical specialists. It is now exploring whether there is support among its members if certain adjustments are made. It will discuss the outcome in the near future with the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU) that conducts the cao discussions on behalf of the UMCs. Depending on the outcome, the LAD will or will not co-sign the cao. The NFU strives for the most broadly supported cao and hopes that all parties will ultimately approve it. But even without the LAD’s signature, this cao will be implemented.
The cao is valid through 31 December 2025. It includes agreements about commuting travel expenses, salary raises and compensations. Various agreements have also been made to support health and vitality: additional free time, the possibility to save hours ‘for later’, and each UMC will have a generational policy. In addition, every UMC is obliged to work on reducing and preventing unwanted behaviour.
On 1 May 2024, wages will increase by 4%, followed by another 3% in 2025. And compensation for changing into work clothes forms part of this cao. The starting dates of the different schemes vary because time is needed to work out the practical details in some cases. If no other date is specified, the cao applies with retroactive effect from January 1 of this year.
The NFU and the unions are still polishing off the definitive cao texts. The NFU will soon publish the new salary tables on its website.
