Negotiations for the new umc cao to start soon
On October 29, UMCNL and the unions are initiating a new round of negotiations for the next cao for UMC employees. A novel joint employers’ vision prepared by the UMCs in the past few months will strongly impact the negotiations.
“UMC employees are facing the prospect of many new developments, opportunities and challenges in the coming years,” said Gabriel Zwart, board member of the MUMC+ and negotiator on behalf of UMCNL. “Just look at the rapid rise of AI and the growing scarcity on the job market. Against that background, we want to work on future-oriented work, with a focus on an individual approach and compassion for our employees.”
Dialogue sessions in the UMCs
This became evident from the dialogue sessions held in the UMCs. The main question was: what do employees consider important in the cao? That led to a wide-ranging and diverse collection of wishes and ideas. A striking element was that many wishes could already be discussed at the local level in the context of the current cao. Other wishes will be covered in the new negotiations.
Fair remuneration topped the list. Employees greatly value a competitive salary, commensurate remuneration and transparency about the salary scales. UMCNL and the unions have already agreed on a new job classification system that will be more transparent and more easily explainable. It will be worked out in the next few years.
Employees also stated that they need a customised approach that matches their stage of life, flexible working hours and room for career development and training. Clear communication is another point that is often stressed. Employees demand comprehensible cao texts, clear definitions and greater transparency about regulations and working conditions.
Simplicity, flexibility and security
Many of these topics are covered in the UMCs’ input for the upcoming cao negotiations.
The starting point is that there is already a complete cao available with an extensive collection of agreements that UMC employees can use. During the dialogue sessions it became clear that not everyone is aware of what is possible in the current cao. Many regulations documented in the current cao have already been implemented, but require further anchoring within the organisation.
Another important starting point is the balance between individual and collective interests. Employees increasingly value meaningful work, fewer administrative burdens, personal development and a healthy work-life balance. That attitude demands customisation and room to design the work jointly.
Finally, wage development is naturally an important component of the cao negotiations. The complete package of working conditions must remain affordable in the short and long term. The UMCs are experiencing a time of uncertainty as political parties are announcing potential budget cuts to healthcare. In the upcoming negotiations we will therefore have to be restrained regarding how much further salaries can go up.
“To summarise, there are three aspects that we feel are primary for the new cao,” said Gabriel Zwart. “Simplicity, so the cao remains understandable and clear for everyone. Flexibility in the UMC, so we can provide customisation and put the individual employee first. And security, by maintaining purchasing power.”