'A future-proof labor market in healthcare is impossible without a market-based salary'

ActiZ asks cabinet for more pay room for healthcare professionals

Although the government recognizes labor market shortages, pay for healthcare professionals lags. Within a few years, a third of all employees in elderly care and district nursing will retire. In order to retain and attract sufficient staff, more wage room is necessary, ActiZ president Anneke Westerlaken believes.

'Not only trade unions or ActiZ as the employers' association in healthcare, find a good salary important. The Economic and Social Council (SER) indicated back in 2021 that employee appreciation is essential to employee motivation and the attractiveness of the sector. Accordingly, the SER advised the cabinet to catch up on the backlog of wages in healthcare. That gap is currently still 6 to 9 percent compared to the market and the public sector for certain groups of healthcare professionals.' 

Westerlaken: 'ActiZ continues to underline that a future-proof labor market in care is impossible without a market-based salary for care staff. If this government does not contribute enough to retaining enough people for care, the sustainability of care for the elderly will come under further pressure. Of course we take our responsibility in the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations, but politicians also have a role in this. EUR 1 billion is structurally needed to bridge the wage gap of VVT employees with the market and the public sector.'

VWS budget discussion

On October 23 and 24, the House of Representatives will debate the budget for the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. ActiZ asks at the budget debate, in addition to space to close the wage gap for healthcare staff, also attention to:

Read here the paper that ActiZ shared with the House of Representatives.