It is a heyday for trade unions in our country: tens of thousands of new members have joined in recent months. Young people are also joining en masse now that their purchasing power is under pressure from skyrocketing inflation. The cost crisis is causing a recovery, but that doesn’t mean there’s a turnaround, experts tell NU.nl.
“People see unions as an opportunity to improve wages. The union movement is strongly committed to this and also has more room to maneuver because of the current crisis,” says Ton Wilthagen, a labor market professor at the University of Tilburg. “Workers are jumping on the train that unions can do something for them.”
For example, the FNV registered more members in November for the third consecutive month, more than six thousand. Things are also moving in the right direction in De Unie, says chairman Reinier Castelein. The union says it will finish higher this year in terms of membership. The same trend can be seen at NVC.
It’s a bright spot, after the union movement has had to deal with a significant decline in recent decades. Statistics Netherlands statistics show that at the beginning of this century a total of around 1.94 million people were members of a trade union. At the end of last year there were 1.5 million. Also, the wallpaper is aging. More than 1.1 million union members are aged 45 or older.
“More people sign up in weak times”
CAO expert Henk Strating of CAO-expert.online has been active at NVC in the past and points out that there has indeed been a downward trend for many years.
“So currently there is a recovery due to the current economic development. It is no surprise that trade unions are currently gaining more members. In economic times there is usually a decline. In weak times more people sign up.”
“They are the first to leave early”
According to Strating, the newcomers see their salvation above all in the unions due to the tension on the labor market, skyrocketing inflation and worries about the economic situation. “It’s about people who think they’re benefiting now. But it’s also mostly members who will be the first to leave.”
Professor Wilthagen also wonders whether the current development is permanent. “Unions need to look at how they can keep these members. Young people in particular have different requirements in that area. They cancel a membership or membership just as quickly.”
