Other Agreements
In addition to salary development, agreements have been made regarding work schedules, allowances, and sustainable employability. The 80-90-100 scheme will be extended, a new temporary early retirement (RVU) arrangement has been agreed, and a return policy is in place for those transferring to a ground position.

The three other unions representing ground staff, with whom a preliminary agreement was previously reached, will be involved in the next phase of talks.

The court’s ruling is positive for all passengers traveling with us next Wednesday and for KLM as a company. It allows us to continue operating safely.

However, the underlying issue remains unresolved. The solution lies at the negotiation table, not in a strike. It’s now crucial to engage in discussions with all unions and reach joint agreements. We trust that FNV and CNV, like the other unions, will return to the table so we can continue working together on a new collective labor agreement.

Statement July 3

KLM has decided to initiate summary legal proceedings to prevent the eight-hour strike announced by FNV and CNV on Wednesday, 9 July, from 14:00 to 22:00. The airline considers the potential consequences of the strike — particularly during the peak of the summer travel season — unacceptable due to operational and safety risks. Moreover, FNV and CNV have not reached any safety arrangements with KLM regarding this planned action.

In addition, KLM has presented a concrete wage offer to all unions, including FNV and CNV, as previously requested by the unions. A further improved proposal has also been submitted to the unions involved in the ground staff collective labour agreement.

Despite this offer, both unions have stated they are unwilling to resume talks and intend to move forward with industrial action.

Press release July 2

KLM offers employees €1000 and structural pay increase

Today, KLM presented all unions with a concrete wage proposal: a one-time payment of €1000 in 2025 and a structural salary increase of up to 2.5% by July 2026, depending on the company’s financial performance in 2025.

KLM’s offer to the unions includes the following:

• Duration: KLM proposes a 22-month collective labour agreement (CLA) for all employees. Each of the four CLAs at KLM covers employment terms relevant to its specific employee group.
• Wages: For all four CLAs, KLM offers:
  • A one-time payment of €1000 for all employees in 2025
  • A structural salary increase of up to 2.5% per 1 July 2026

The structural increase as of July 2026 is linked to KLM’s operating result (COI). If KLM achieves a COI margin of at least 5.5% for the 2025 fiscal year, all employees will receive the full 2.5% raise. If the result is lower, the increase will be reduced accordingly, but will be at least 0.5%.

With this proposal, KLM believes there is sufficient basis for reaching an agreement with all unions. CLA negotiations will resume on 10 July.

Press release June 27

KLM extends wage offer to unions

KLM is stepping away from the previously maintained zero-increase policy and will present a wage proposal to the unions. This proposal will be discussed during the so-called multi-party consultation, to which all ten unions involved in the four collective labour agreements (CLAs) at KLM have been invited. The talks will focus on wages and contract duration - two key topics that apply to all CLAs.

Miriam Kartman, Chief People Officer: “Despite the financial challenges KLM is facing, we want to accommodate our colleagues. We are committed to reaching a good agreement with the unions through constructive dialogue. Now more than ever, it is important to make arrangements that are beneficial for all colleagues and our company.”

The multi-meeting will take place on July 2.

Statement June 25

Today, the court in Haarlem prohibited the announced 24-hour strike by FNV and CNV. This means that the strike at KLM's ground department cannot take place this Saturday. KLM wants to quickly resume discussions with the unions to find good solutions. 

"The fact that the strike cannot go ahead is good for our passengers and the company. However, this does not resolve the problem. Therefore, it is important that we reach an agreement with the unions," said Miriam Kartman, HR Director at KLM. "KLM wants to continue discussions with all unions about the collective labor agreement to work together on arrangements that are beneficial for everyone." 

KLM hopes to meet with all the unions again soon. 

Press release June 24

FNV and CNV leave collective labour agreement negotiations early and call for a 24-hour strike

KLM is disappointed by the call from trade unions FNV and CNV for KLM Ground staff to go on strike this coming Saturday, while negotiations on a new collective labour agreement (CLA) are still ongoing and the other three unions are willing to continue discussions.

KLM has made a CLA proposal that invests in the future of its employees, while also calling for a pause on further salary increases. Since 2019, wages have risen significantly — by at least 25%, and in some cases up to 40%. Given KLM’s current financial situation and the high level of global uncertainty, there is no room at this time for additional wage growth.

KLM is initiating summary proceedings, requesting the court to prohibit the 24-hour strike.

“I understand the concerns and recognise the wishes of our colleagues. That’s exactly why we need to keep talking and work together on constructive solutions. Strikes don’t help — they affect colleagues who want to work, passengers who are not part of this conflict, and they harm our company. Especially in the difficult financial position KLM is in right now. I therefore urge FNV and CNV to return to the table, as the other unions have done, and continue the dialogue”

Miriam Kartman, Chief People Officer at KLM

FNV and CNV consider the proposal a negotiation result and will be presenting it to their respective membership bases. De Unie, NVLT and VKP have indicated that they consider KLM’s proposal as its final proposal. This means these unions will inform us if they consider it a negotiation result. KLM hopes that this will soon lead to an agreement with all five ground unions.

The final proposal includes a wage increase effective 1 September 2023 of an amount of €135 gross per month and, effective 1 October 2023, a wage increase of 6%. There will also be a one-off payment of €500 in January 2024. In July 2024, a further increase of 3% will follow and in January 2025, depending on inflation trends, an increase of between 0% and 2%. Bolstered by these wage increases, the minimum wage for KLM Ground Personnel will increase to a level of above €16 an hour during the agreement’s term from 2 March 2023 through 28 February 2025.

KLM will also take further measures to prevent employees from becoming overloaded and will be reintroducing the temporary part-time pre-retirement scheme (also known as the “80-90-100 scheme”). This will enable those employees carrying out the most physically taxing work to retire earlier. The bridging allowance will also make it easier to switch to less physically demanding work.

KLM has ensured that the new CLA takes account of price developments in the Netherlands. A wage clause specifying a 2% increase effective 1 October 2022 and further 2% effective 1 March 2023 has been agreed. This reflects agreements recently reached with the trade unions representing ground personnel.

We also reached an agreement with VNV on productivity and flexibility in the coming period.

The existing international commuting arrangement for pilots has been discontinued. Pilots who live outside the Netherlands will now pay for their flights when commuting to work.

KLM employees will receive one-off payment when KLM no longer has a credit facility with government guarantees. This payment acknowledges the concerted effort made by KLM staff in the face of recent challenges.

Despite KLM’s successful recovery, the future remains uncertain due to factors such as high inflation, rising costs, uncertainties surrounding coronavirus and scarcity in the job market. KLM must therefore continue to cut costs structurally. The negotiating parties agreed to return to the table if the situation so demands in the coming period.

In order to continue operating as many flights as possible despite the industrial actions, it will not be possible to carry hold baggage on European flights arriving or departing from Schiphol on Wednesday, 18 September 2019 between 12:45 hours and 17:00 hours (CET). We are also urging our passengers to limit the volume of their hand luggage as far as possible in case they are prevented from carrying it with them on the European flights due to space constraints.

In so doing, KLM hopes to limit the impact of the strike on its customers. A no-charge rebooking policy has been established for passengers who do not wish to travel without hold baggage.

The passengers affected will be approached directly by KLM and will be rebooked on alternative flights. We therefore advise our passengers to keep a close eye on the information published on the KLM Website and/or the KLM App.

The negotiators agreed on various topics that are important to KLM staff, including salary increases, work-pressure reduction, training and development opportunities, and replacement of salary systems. In addition, important agreements were negotiated surrounding key themes such as “sustainable deployability” and issues relating to shift schedules. The unions will present the negotiated result to their members in the coming period.

KLM is delighted that it has reached an agreement with the VNV and hopes that a line can now be drawn under a difficult period. KLM wishes now to join with the VNV to concentrate on the challenges ahead.

The agreement provides a firm foundation on which we can join hands in building a healthy future for KLM, which is good for staff as well as passengers.

We hope that FNV members will also embrace the plan, considering that the new agreement with the VNC has close similarities to the demands previously expressed by the FNV Cabine trade union.

In relation to the anticipated work stoppage, KLM is doing everything possible to minimise potential disruptions for customers and staff. It is not yet clear whether there is broad-based support for the actions, but it is possible that they will result in delays. KLM recommends that its customers keep a close eye on the flight information on the KLM website.

Collective labour agreement
In the collective labour agreement for 2015-2017, it was agreed that AIR FRANCE KLM would issue shares to the sum of EUR 80 million, divided into three equal tranches over a period of three years. Because KLM cannot autonomously issue these AIR FRANCE KLM shares, the KLM management engaged in intensive consultation with the AIR FRANCE KLM board. The negotiations were intensive and the discussions complex, as this allocation is subject to various laws and other regulations. Now that approval has been given, KLM can fulfil its commitment to the VNV as laid down in the CLA.

The STROT protocol and the implementation agreement stipulate that KLM should make a supplementary payment if the cover ratio of the pension fund is insufficient for full indexation. The limit for this cover ratio had been set at 105%.

New legislation, which took effect on 1 January 2015, raised this limit to around 122%. Below this cover ratio, full indexation is impossible, which means KLM must make a supplementary payment if the cover ratio is below 122%. In view of the current financial status of the pension fund, this supplementary payment, which is due in late 2016, could amount to hundreds of millions of euros.

This pension issue is an unexpected side-effect of the new legislation passed on 1 January 2015. Since then, KLM and VNV have met on several occasions to discuss this new legislation and its unintended side-effects. These meetings did not result in a solution.

It is not KLM’s intention to reduce pension costs. The point is that the unintended effects of the amended legislation, in combination with low interest rates, have confronted KLM with a disproportionately high supplementation commitment, which jeopardises operational continuity.

KLM therefore cannot pursue the current supplementation scheme for future indexation of the pilots’ pension scheme in its current form. As a result, KLM is compelled to suspend its STROT protocol with the VNV pilots’ union as well as its implementation agreement with the pension funds effective 1 December 2016. The proposed adjustments imply that indexation security will change. All other pension commitments will remain unchanged.

Together with this suspension, KLM presented the VNV with an alternative proposal for the STROT protocol and the implementation agreement. 

Although KLM cannot comply with the VNV’s ultimatum to withdraw its proposal from the negotiating table, it today assured the VNV that it has every intention to keep seeing an equitable solution. This is borne out the four alternatives that KLM offered to the VNV in its latest letter of proposal.

KLM finds it highly regrettable that VNV seems to be opting to take legal rather than engaging in dialogue to resolve this issue.

• All staff will receive a one-off bonus of EUR 1,600 in 2016;
• All staff will receive a structural salary increase of 1% effective 2018;
• All staff have the option of converting up to 20% of their salary into a profit-sharing scheme;
• KLM will ensure job security, with no discharge on economic/financial grounds for the duration of the CLA, despite the on-going reorganisation;
• KLM is prepared to offer fixed contracts to 165 temps;
• KLM will adhere to national agreements in favour of unemployment insurance (WW) coverage for a three-year period.

On top of that, it is important to bear the following in mind:

• Despite the economic/financial headwind, no KLM employees have been compulsorily discharged. The reduction in FTEs over the past year was achieved through natural attrition;
• The labour costs of fellow handling companies are up to 30% lower than KLM’s;
• Work pressure if up to 20% higher at fellow handling companies.

KLM remains convinced that its proposal contains a great package of agreements, which will contribute to ensuring a brighter and better future for our organization.

While the FNV union has repeatedly presented ultimatums, KLM has continued to pursue dialogue in the on-going negotiations. The other four unions have presented KLM’s CLA proposal to their members and see no reason for protest action.

KLM has always said it wants continue the dialogue, but will not respond to a unilateral ultimatum.

We suspect the points of difference are actually smaller that have earlier been expressed. In the interests of our passengers, our employees and the future of the company, we once more call upon the FNV not to commence industrial action, but to join us once more at the negotiating table.

KLM’s surprise is compounded by the fact that the proposed package includes substantially improved terms for staff. KLM has also offered to extend the term of the job security paragraph and proposed a substantially improved profit-sharing arrangement.

The truth is that the world has changed, and KLM has to change with it by becoming cheaper, simpler and faster. Those are preconditions for a healthy future for KLM and its employees. In 2015, we saw the first modest improvement in our results. This has been translated into growth in 2016. In addition, the new profit sharing arrangement paid out dividends for the first time. The improvement in results in 2015 was essential in enabling us to make vital investments that are required to achieve growth and safeguard employment opportunities.