“Albert Heijn Strikes Suspended as Unions and Company Negotiate New Labor Agreement”

Albert Heijn and trade unions CNV and FNV will meet again in the short term to discuss a new collective labor agreement for distribution employees. This means that the strikes at the distribution companies have been suspended for the time being.

On Wednesday evening, the unions received an invitation from the supermarket chain to talk again. According to the unions, AH wants to give distribution employees a 10 percent wage increase. In addition, the company would be prepared to put an end to any deterioration in the terms of employment of new employees.

Strikes were planned in the coming period in Zaandam, Zwolle, Geldermalsen, Pijnacker and Tilburg. These are temporarily off the track, reports the FNV.

CNV expects that once negotiations have started again, they will “quickly settle” with the supermarket chain. It has not been announced when talks will resume.

At five of the six distribution centers of the supermarket chain, about 1500 employees have been on strike since last week. This has led to empty shelves in supermarkets in recent days.

Yesterday, Albert Heijn already made a wage offer of 10 percent, but that was rejected by the unions at the time. At the time, they also wanted guarantees that the working conditions for employees would not deteriorate.