# Union FNV demands 5.5% pay rise for central government staff

> Union FNV Overheid wants a 5.5% structural raise plus €80 a month for central government staff as talks on the 2027 collective agreement (cao Rijk) open on Wednesday.

Economy · published 2026-10-21 05:58 · https://nlnow.nl/a/civil-service-union-demands-5-5-pay-rise-for-2027/

On 19 October, FNV Overheid gave the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations its demand letters for the 2027 cao Rijk, the collective agreement for central government staff. Talks start on Wednesday 21 October.

**Why it matters**

- Pay: FNV demands a structural rise of 5.5% and a nominal €80 a month from 1 January 2027, with a focus on the lower salary scales.
- Prices: FNV wants automatic compensation for rising prices from 2028.
- Term: FNV's primary demand is a one-year agreement, 1 January to 31 December 2027.

The union also wants a bigger share of pay to go into the individual choice budget (IKB): 17.5%, with a higher minimum of €500 a month. It wants more ways to use it, such as repaying student debt of up to €5,000 a year.

On careers, FNV wants FUWA Rijk introduced on 1 January 2028, without leaving employees worse off. It also wants a permanent early-exit scheme (RVU) for heavy work from 1 January 2027.

The union also wants structural workload tackled at the source. It says: "Targets and hiring restrictions must not lead to more work with fewer people." It also asks for more say over working hours, hybrid work and AI.

FNV says a one-year deal is its main demand, but there is room for a longer term if the overall package is good. It says its demands draw on earlier surveys and member consultations, plus recent input from members.

## Background

- **cao Rijk (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst Rijk)**: The collective labour agreement for central government staff: the agreement between the Dutch government as employer and the public-sector unions that sets pay scales, working hours, leave and other employment conditions for civil servants working for the national government. It is renegotiated periodically, and its outcome determines pay for employees of ministries and other central government bodies.
- **IKB (individueel keuzebudget)**: The individual choice budget: a part of an employee's pay, set by the collective agreement, that staff can spend on options of their own choosing, such as extra pay, extra leave or other arrangements allowed under the agreement. It matters in pay negotiations because the share of pay placed in the IKB, and the ways it can be used, are agreed separately from the basic salary increase.

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