A Dutch labor union urges the European Union to intervene regarding the minimum wage law in the Netherlands.
The Dutch union FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging – Dutch Trade Union Confederation) has called on the European Commission (Europese Commissie) to intervene regarding the way the Netherlands (Nederland) is implementing the EU directive on minimum wages, stating that the new law does not meet European standards.
Despite the Eerste Kamer (Senate) approving a bill on Tuesday to incorporate the European directive into national legislation, FNV believes that some key provisions do not comply with EU requirements. The union particularly criticizes the exceptions related to minimum wages, including the minimum wage for young people and the deductions imposed on the wages of migrant workers for housing costs.
The interim president of the union, Dick Corselman, stated that the European directive aims to enhance the protection of the minimum wage in EU countries. He added that the Dutch approach undermines this goal, warning against allowing the government to evade accountability due to what he described as weak enforcement of the law.
If the European Commission concludes that the Netherlands is violating EU law, it can initiate a legal infringement procedure that may ultimately force the country to amend its legislation to fully comply with the directive. FNV pointed out that the Netherlands was one of the last member states to adopt the minimum wage directive.
FNV intends to provide the European Commissioner with detailed information about the treatment of migrant workers, particularly the deduction of housing costs from their wages. The union considers this practice to be discrimination based on nationality. For her part, the head of FNV Young & United, Nila Polens, criticized the minimum wage for young people, asserting that there is no evidence that it reduces youth unemployment, while it undermines wage protection for this group.