In the last century, wages in the Netherlands have never risen as fast as they are right now, according to new data released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Changing inflation rates and collective labour agreements are the key reasons why.

Dutch collective labour agreement wages have risen the most

Falling inflation means that after many collective labour agreements have come into place to match real wages to the rising inflation rate of 2022, many workers’ wages have risen, even when adjusted for inflation. In the Netherlands, wages decided by collective labour agreements have seen the sharpest rise, having risen by 6,1 percent in the third quarter of 2023, compared to the same period of 2022.

When this wage is corrected for inflation, which was only 2,6 percent in the third quarter of this year, wages have grown the sharpest now, in the last century.

Those working in education have seen the sharpest pay increase

People who are teachers in the Netherlands and are paid through collective labour agreements have seen their wages rise the sharpest. Those working in education are now paid 8.9 percent more than in the same period last year, followed by workers in the transport and storage sectors and those working for water companies and waste management. 

The workers whose wages have grown the slowest are those working in real estate, with just 2,5 percent growth, followed by those working in financial services and 'culture, sports and recreation'.

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