Module 6: INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (WORKS COUNCIL AND TRADE UNIONS)

In general, employees in the Netherlands have a strong and prominent position, facilitated in the workplace through the employee participation body, as well as by labour unions.

In this workshop we discuss the potential employee participation bodies you may be required to engage with as a manager, or HR professional, such as, the Works Council (Ondernemingsraad or “OR”) or staff representation (Personeelsvertegenwoordiging or “PVT”).

Time will be spent to consider your role as their potential main point of contact and how to effectively engage with employees for optimal results. We will also cover the role of labour unions and the collective labour agreement in the Netherlands.

TOPICS

The following questions will be addressed:

Engagement requirements:

  • What is your role as a manager and/or HR-professional vis-à-vis the Works Council and trade unions?
  • What are the legal aspects of employee participation, challenges and what are the potential pitfalls to be mindful of?
  • What is the role of HR, the Works Council, and the management team to effectively utilise the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ through participation in the organisation?

The Works Council:

  • What are the provisions of the Dutch Works Councils Act (Wet op de ondernemingsraden or “WOR”)?
  • How is the Works Council composed and what are its rights in terms of consultation, information, advice, and consent?
  • To what extent can confidentiality restrictions be imposed on the Works Council?

Trade Unions:

  • What should I know about trade unions, the formation and content of collective agreements and/or social plans?
  • What are tips for the process of interviewing or negotiating with trade unions and what are contemporary ways of dealing and co-operating with trade unions?

Alternative and/or contemporary employee participation:

  • What are the alternative and/or new forms of employee participation to consider?
  • What have been the experiences of organisations in pursuing alternative engagement methods and platforms?

RESULTS

After completing this course, you will have:

  • gained knowledge on how you can fulfil your role as a manager and/or HR-professional in promoting critical and constructive employee participation within your organisation; and
  • a deeper understanding of all legal and practical requirements of the Works Council in the Netherlands, when they are required and how they operate within an organisation.

ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A ‘CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT’ FOLLOWING THEIR ATTENDANCE

To register, complete the form below!

Workshop location

The workshops are held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Villa Mollerus (Mollerusstraat 1) in Baarn, 10 m. walk from Baarn train station, circa 30 min. from Amsterdam and Utrecht. The workshops always include an extensive lunch, in the same building.

‘On location’ workshops are hybrid, i.e. they allow for online participation as well, which works well given the fact that we work in small groups (maximum number of 8 participants). The prices for the on-site and online workshops are the same.

Options

This one-day workshop is one of seven modules of the Learning path Dutch labour law and HRM for contemporary management. We also offer this workshop as an in-company or as a one-on-one session, customized to the needs of your organization and yourself. 

Dates in 2024-2025

Your investment

There is no prescribed order for completing our Dutch Labour Law & HR programme though it is advisable to start with Module 1 as it deals with the basics of Dutch Employment Law, followed by Module 2.

You can also book this course as a one-day workshop. Investment: € 997 excluding VAT (including reading materials, lunch, tea/coffee) payable in advance.

Included is a 30-minute to one-hour personal intake & advice session (online) – remember, it’s all about you!

If your branch, professional or network organisation has a cooperation agreement with us, a discount may be applicable. Indicate this under remarks during registration, making reference to your organisation.

Certificate

We provide a ‘Certificate of Achievement’.

Recommendations

The course was extremely useful – I feel a lot more informed and confident to purse matters in the workplace. I like the approach – not ‘death by powerpoint’! Was never boring. About the trainer: 10/10, very easy to listen to, engaging and relaxed. I like the inclusion of group experience and advice too.

Janine Smith

Sofis

Really useful course for my work. I work in HR in the Netherlands for a mid-large size company. It really showed me areas we aren’t doing things correctly, and where we can improve.

Jeanie Edwards

Backbase B.V.

I appreciated that the trainer could share his rich experience in Dutch employment law and that we could discuss specific practical examples in a small group of participants.

Kerstin Herzog

Brunswick EMEA

Content was well paced and all suitable for application in an HR setting. Arthur was a very good trainer in that he not only explained what the law states but he also gave some very good examples that were easy to grasp and see how the law is applied. (10/10 via Springest)

Tessa Marie van Avendonk

Corinthia Hotel, HR Manager

It was an amazing training day filled with essential Dutch employment topics and we were able to address personal workplace scenarios to help us navigate our policies/new approaches right away. Arthur was a great with many insights. I would highly recommend! facilitator with many insights. I would highly recommend! (10/10 via Springest)

Cassandra Rodenhurst

SilverFlow, HR Manager

Registration form

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