Country Report

Netherlands

Mid-term workshop Brussels, 3-4 December 2015

with the financial support of the

The Occupational Welfare (OW)

in the Netherlands – definition

Benefits and services collectively bargained

by the social partners

Funded in most cases by employers

with the financial support of the

The Occupational Welfare (OW)

in the Netherlands – origin

Worker solidarity funds (late 1800s~)

Development into statutory schemes (early

1900s~)

Reaction: bipartite enterprise associations

Result: strong sectoral social dialogue/

collective bargaining

with the financial support of the

The Occupational Welfare (OW)

in the Netherlands –origin

Sectoral and company-level OW

Social partner governance of statutory

employee insurance until 1990s

Remaining room for OW:

Mandatory occupational pensions

Collectively bargained benefits and services

with the financial support of the

The Occupational Welfare (OW)

in the Netherlands – key traits

Collectively bargained in cba’s (general and

fund-specific)

Bipartite boards in case of funds

Sectoral level predominant

Supplemental to statutory schemes

Pensions: equally important to statutory

schemes

with the financial support of the

The Occupational Welfare

in the Netherlands – key figures (Socx)

with the financial support of the

Occupational Pensions

in the Netherlands

with the financial support of the

Occupational Pensions

in the Netherlands – key findings

Schemes are collectively bargained

Bilateral governance

Employer and employee premiums

Earnings-related contributions + payments

Invested in financial markets: bonds,

assets, real estate

Among the largest funds in the world

with the financial support of the

Occupational Pensions

in the Netherlands – key findings

Coverage: 66% of active working population

Replacement rates:

with the financial support of the

Without AOW With AOW

Men (not-foreign) 33% 61%

Men (forein) 16% 54%

Women (not-foreign) 33% 87%

Women (foreign) 15% 76%

Occupational Unemployment Schemes

in the Netherlands

with the financial support of the

Occupational Unemployment in the

Netherlands – key findings

Schemes and social plans are collectively

bargained

General and fund-specific cba’s

Bilateral governance

with the financial support of the

Occupational Unemployment

in the Netherlands – key findings

Benefits supplemental to statutory scheme

Topping up, lump-sum, extension

Coverage: 38 out of 100 largest cba’s

(mostly sector-level)

2011: 3.7% out of total unemployment

benefits

Industry, health, government

with the financial support of the

Analytical Insights

Changing power relations within the neo-

corporatist system

Declining role of OW

OW to compensate for welfare state

retrenchment?

Limits to social partner policies set by

government, EU and financial markets

Does OW increase inequality?

with the financial support of the