Achmea and trade unions reach agreement on new two-year CLA

Achmea and the trade unions have reached agreement on a new two-year CLA for approximately 12,000 employees. An important element of the CLA is the introduction of a standard 34-hour working week from 1 January 2021, without loss of salary. Achmea currently has a 36-hour working week.

The new Achmea CLA runs from 1 December 2019 to 1 December 2021. A total indexation of 6.88% has been agreed over two years:
- salaries will be increased by 1% from 1 January 2020;
- the introduction of a 34-hour working week from 1 January 2021 without loss of salary equates to a 5.88% increase in the hourly wage.

34-hour working week and other agreements
From 1 January 2021, Achmea will switch to a standard 34-hour working week. This is in tune with social topics such as continuing to work in good health with a rising retirement age, better distribution of work and care duties between partners and a better work-life balance.

To give employees greater control over working in good health until their retirement, a leave savings scheme will be introduced. Employees can use the leave they have saved to stop working earlier or to work fewer hours in the run-up to their retirement.

There will be a step-back scheme. Employees who opt to accept a less onerous job or older employees who opt to work fewer hours will be helped to do so because their salary will be amended gradually.

The current Social Plan runs until 1 January 2021. It has been agreed to extend the Social Plan by 1.5 years until July 2022.

Modern employer
Achmea’s HR director, Elly Ploumen, is happy with the new CLA: “It will help us to continue to implement the Agenda for the future that was agreed in the previous CLA. The package as a whole allows us to offer a healthy work-life balance (such as a longer period of paid partner leave, more time for informal care, more time for development and more free time) and continuing to work in good health until retirement age. This CLA means that Achmea retains a modern employee benefits package that aligns with what we believe a good employer to be” relevant, leading and innovative.”

Voting until 7 January
The trade unions are putting the result of the negotiations to their members for a vote. The members have until Tuesday, 7 January to vote. If the members give their approval, the CLA is final and the agreements can be implemented.