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
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