The Netherlands: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the construction sector

The construction sector is an important sector in the Dutch economy. Significantly, the sector is often described as a lever for other essential parts of the economy and the consumer market. The social partner organisations in the sector, consisting of two employer associations – Bouwend Nederland and the Aannemersfederatie - and two union federations - the unions of FNV and of CNV in the sector – are still in place. The parties negotiate a collective labour agreement, which is extended the to the whole sector. extended Construction collective labour agreement. Density in the sector is high. This said, the sector has been hard hit by the economic crisis. High levels of redundancies are the result. The standard labour contract is losing ground to self-employed persons and freelancers. Worsening labour conditions are been reported. The economic crisis has also had its impact on the social partner organisations; they have already had to economize on their training institutes.