Labor talks between ABN Amro, unions collapse over 2 work days in office demand

Collective labor agreement talks between ABN Amro and the union were halted earlier this week as the two sides cannot agree on the request that employees have to spend 50 percent of their work time in the office, NU.nl reports. The unions do not want to continue the talks, unlike ABN Amro. The parties also disagree on the payment.

ABN Amro wants the office requirement to be a part of the collective agreement. “The ABNO Amro delegation is holding to the demand that you and your colleagues work an average of two days a week in the office, or 50 percent of working time,” FNV allegedly wrote in a letter obtained by NU.nl.

“The unions have pointed out that virtually everyone already comes regularly to the office and that many trams have made practical arrangements for that. Even so, the ABN Amro delegation would not drop the 50 percent standard,” the letter said.

Employers’ association AWVN told NU.nl that “it is quite exceptional for rules on working from home to be put in a collective agreement. That almost never happens,” a spokesperson said. “But employers are looking for a new balance, especially for office staff.”

“Every team at ABN Amro has made arrangements for working from home and coming to the office. We have received no complaints from our members about that,” FNV official Arne Gorter told the newspaper.

ABN Amro wants to resume the talks. “We will make no further comments on the demand for mandatory office attendance as long as the collective agreement negotiations are underway,” a spokesperson told NU.nl.