# FNV members approve wholesale flowers and plants pay deal

> Members of the FNV union have approved the new collective labour agreement for wholesale flowers and plants, which adds a 4% basic pay rise, a higher travel allowance and a new informal-care scheme.

Economy · published 2026-10-28 05:32 · https://nlnow.nl/a/flower-and-plant-wholesale-workers-get-4-pay-rise-in-2027/

A large majority of members of the FNV union voted for the new collective labour agreement (cao) for wholesale flowers and plants, FNV says. That makes the deal final. Members could vote until 25 October. The agreement runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.

**Why it matters**

- Pay: a basic rise of 4% in total, 3% on 1 January 2027 and 1% on 1 April 2027.
- Year-end bonus: the current 1% bonus stays until 31 December 2026, then lapses. From 1 January 2027 that 1% will be built permanently into pay.
- Commuting: the allowance rises to the tax-free maximum of €0.25 per kilometre, for up to 30 kilometres one way.

A new informal-care (mantelzorg) scheme lets employees temporarily receive 80% of their pay while still building up a full pension, then return to their original working hours. It can be used for up to six months in a row, once every five years.

During statutory short-term care leave, the employer will pay 85% of wages, up to the maximum SV daily wage. The parties also agreed to extend the Private Aanvulling WW (PAWW), a top-up to unemployment benefit, from 1 January 2027.

FNV says it pushed for a higher pay rise and that the talks were difficult. The rise is lower than it wanted, and FNV says inflation is still rising, so purchasing power remains under pressure.

FNV has told employers' organisation VGB the outcome. Until the new cao text is published, the current text and the negotiated outcome take precedence.

## Background

- **FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging)**: The largest trade union federation in the Netherlands. It negotiates collective labour agreements (cao's) and takes part in national talks with employers and the cabinet.
- **cao (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst)**: A collective labour agreement (cao) is a written agreement between employers' organisations and trade unions that sets pay, working hours and other employment conditions for a sector or group of companies. Its terms apply to the employees it covers and are usually agreed for a fixed period before being renewed. Most Dutch employees are covered by a cao, so it is the main reference point for wages and leave rules in their industry.
- **PAWW (Private Aanvulling WW)**: The PAWW (Private Aanvulling WW) is a private top-up to the statutory unemployment benefit (WW), arranged through collective agreements rather than by the government. It pays eligible employees who become unemployed an additional amount on top of their WW benefit for a limited period. It matters because it can noticeably increase the income of people who lose their job, depending on the sector they worked in.

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