[{"content":"All things long-term illness (langdurige ziekte) in the Netherlands are covered by the Ziektewet.\nThis resource discusses the sections in the Ziektewet that cover long-term illness. It addresses what counts as long-term illness, what your rights and obligations are when you\u0026rsquo;ve been ill for a while, and provides answers to some frequently asked questions.\nAny steps taken while you\u0026rsquo;re ill should always focus on supporting your health. Understanding your rights, obligations, and processes for long-term illness is key for your future.\nDisclaimer: This document deals with legal issues and is intended to provide an informational resource only. Tech Workers Coalition doesn't in any way provide legal advice, so don't rely on this document as though it would constitute legal advice. A personal note # Are you currently not feeling your 100% normal self? Then go see your general practitioner (GP, huisarts). This resource will be here when you get back. Look after your own health first before worrying about admin and processes.\nAre you feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information in this resource? Then you\u0026rsquo;re a normal human being. There\u0026rsquo;s a lot to digest here, so take your time. If you need support, reach out to hey@techwerkers.nl and a fellow worker will try to point you in the right direction.\nTerminology # Term Other names Description Arbo-arts Occupational health physician The term \u0026lsquo;arbo-arts\u0026rsquo; is sometimes mistakenly used to refer to a bedrijfsarts (company doctor). An arbo-arts is a health care professional that can work under the supervision of a company doctor. They aren\u0026rsquo;t allowed to perform independent medical assessments. Arbodienst Working conditions service Health and safety service A broad term for a collection of services that a company may provide under the heading of health and wellness, often with the thought of reducing operational risks. Although not mandatory, many large companies hire external providers for managing their arbodienst. Many arbodienst companies provide not only a bedrijfsarts but also others services, such as additional counseling services, wellness plans, risk management, and the like. If your company wants to change its arbodienst provider, and if you have a works council, then your works council must be asked for consent on any such change. Bedrijfsarts Company doctor A primary care doctor, paid by the employer who works in conjunction with a worker \u0026ndash; their patient. A company doctors focus is on their patients health, and is obliged to keep the workers medical information private, and not share it with the company that pays for their services. The company doctor evaluates and reports back an advice to the company on their patients capabilities to perform their regular duties. Company doctors are chosen by the company and, if there\u0026rsquo;s a works council, the company\u0026rsquo;s works council. Employee Patient Individual Werknemer This resource uses the term \u0026rsquo;employee\u0026rsquo; when referring to contracts or the employee-employer relationship. \u0026lsquo;Patient\u0026rsquo; will be used in conjunction with healthcare related information. Employer Company Workplace Werkgever The registered company with which the employee has a signed contract to perform their work duties Huisarts General practitioner (GP) Home doctor A primary care doctor who\u0026rsquo;s often the first point of contact when someone\u0026rsquo;s ill and requires medical support. A GP can be involved in diagnosing and treating medical conditions, as well as referring to specialists for further support and treatment \u0026ndash; this can include physical (such as orthopedic) and mental (such as therapy) treatments. GPs must keep their patient\u0026rsquo;s medical information private, though they can share it with third parties with the patient\u0026rsquo;s consent. In the Netherlands people can choose their own GP. Illness Sickness Anything that prevents someone from performing their regular duties Illness period A period of time that spans from the first day that someone\u0026rsquo;s declared ill to their last day of illness. An illness period can include multiple different illnesses, for example the flu and then a broken leg. Illness period, first day of The first day that the employee was unable to perform their regular duties. (Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:629 lid 1) ℹ️ Note: Illness during vacation should be transferred to sick leave, and as such the first day of illness might be whilst someone is on vacation.\nIllness period, last day of The day at which an employee who was previously registered sick has worked at 100% of their regular duties for 4 weeks without interruption. (Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:629 lid 10) Medical information Patient dossier Private medical information Medical details Medical information includes, among other things:DiagnosisTreatments or therapies and the contents thereofDetails of conversations at medical appointmentsAnything you\u0026rsquo;d share in private with your doctor is very likely medical information. Obligation Something that\u0026rsquo;s required, whether you like it or not. For example, you\u0026rsquo;re obliged to tell your employer you\u0026rsquo;re calling in sick, unless it\u0026rsquo;s physically impossible for you to do so. Occupational impairment Arbeidsongeschikt You have an occupational impairment if the prognosis of an illness results in a permanent reduction in a your ability to perform 100% of your regular duties. In other words: illness without full recovery. Occupational impairment is usually measured in a percentage of the person\u0026rsquo;s inability to perform their regular duties. 40% occupationally impaired, implies you can work at 60% of your original capacity Personeelshandboek Employee handbook Company policy An optional document that details the rules and procedures on how things are done at a particular company. For example, it may describe how to request leave, call in sick, or report an incident. Plan of action Plan van aanpak The plan is generated and agreed upon between the employee and the employer based on outputs from the company doctor. It should contain a plan of action about the reintegration trajectory. Basic principles: Work tasks should remain relevant to your original job description. For example, you can\u0026rsquo;t be required to mop floors if that wasn\u0026rsquo;t part of your job.It should ideally be a step for step plan for the re-integration with goal dates, not with target dates.You may agree to additional company provided therapy, counciling, etc, but you are under no obligation to do so.Some employers may be pushy for dates about when you\u0026rsquo;ll return to work. The reality is that health doesn\u0026rsquo;t work that way. Take the plan of action one step at a time, and revise with your employer when needed. Recovered When a person who was declared as ill is now able to perform 100% of their regular duties, and has done so for at least 4 consecutive weeks. Regular duties Work duties Job tasks The definition of the work in the employee\u0026rsquo;s contract. What would be expected in a normal day of work, including the hours of work. 100% regular duties implies working at the contracted hours (for example 32 hours if that is stated in the contract). UWV Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen Employee Insurance Agency The government department that is responsible for evaluating eligibility for, and eventually paying, a number of collectively provided benefits. UWV checks that companies follow the correct procedures when applying for benefits, and will hold companies accountable if processes aren\u0026rsquo;t followed correctly. Verzekeringarts Insurance doctor This doctor works at the UWV and is responsible for evaluating how the patient has been handled during the long-term illness trajectory. WIA benefit WIA-uitkering, from Wet werk en inkomen naar arbeidsvermogen Sickness benefit The WIA benefit is specifically for people who are occupationally impaired, either fully or partially. When a person is declared as occupationally impaired, they generally receive a portion (or all) of their future income from the WIA benefit. This benefit is paid from collective provisions, instead of through the employer. Note that the UWV often rejects applications for WIA benefits from people who are still able to work at 65% or more of their previous capacity (less than 35% occupationally impaired). WW benefit WW-uitkering, from Werkloosheidswet Unemployment benefit The general unemployment benefit for individuals without paid work in the Netherlands. Ziektewet Sickness benefit act The law that encompasses what happens when someone is declared ill. This covers, amongst others, long-term illness. It provides protections for both businesses and individuals. I\u0026rsquo;m not okay, what should I do? # As a human being writing this document: that honestly sucks. Let\u0026rsquo;s figure this one out:\nNotify: Before anything else, tell your manager you\u0026rsquo;re calling in sick. Check your company policy on how to do so. If your manager is unavailable and you can\u0026rsquo;t find your company policy, check with a coworker. Make sure someone knows that you\u0026rsquo;re not working. Get help: Next, figure out what you need for yourself. Depending on the illness, you may want to reach out to your GP. For now, look after yourself. Company expectations during first days of illness can vary. It\u0026rsquo;s best practice clarify to your manager what they can expect from you over the coming days.\nCompany policy may say that you need to contact someone who\u0026rsquo;s actually contributed to your being unwell, for example a manager who\u0026rsquo;s assaulted you. If that\u0026rsquo;s the case, many companies have a trust person (vertrouwenspersoon) who you could contact. Alternatively, you could contact your manager\u0026rsquo;s manager, or someone in human resources (HR).\nNote that, although uncommon in tech, Dutch law allows companies to withold pay during the first 2 days of sick leave \u0026ndash; sometimes called wachtdagen. If so, this should be stated in the company policy.\nWhat is long-term illness? # Someone counts as being long-term ill if they\u0026rsquo;re unable to perform their regular duties for at least 4 weeks in a row. Some examples:\nYou\u0026rsquo;re a truck driver and you\u0026rsquo;ve broken your leg, which prevents you from driving for 2 months You\u0026rsquo;re undergoing cancer treatment and are unable to work as a result You\u0026rsquo;ve had a stroke and have been advised to not work You\u0026rsquo;re experiencing extreme stress due to which you\u0026rsquo;re unable to work In the Netherlands, time that someone isn\u0026rsquo;t able to work due to illness is paid by the employer. (Insurance companies will insure businesses from any losses they might incur as a result of long-term illness. As a worker you don\u0026rsquo;t need to worry about this.)\nA note on burnout # You can be long-term ill due to burnout. Unfortunately, burnout is all too common in the Netherlands, including at tech companies. High workloads, toxic culture, unrealistic expectations and transgressive behaviour can lead to an unhealthy work environment. But whether you\u0026rsquo;re working in construction or sitting behind a computer, you need a safe working environment.\nNote that \u0026lsquo;burnout\u0026rsquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t a generally recognized diagnosis term. Burnout can get classified as \u0026lsquo;generalised anxiety disorder\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;depression\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;insomnia\u0026rsquo;, or other diagnoses. While what you have should ideally only matter to you as a person, insurance companies might request an official diagnosis before covering treatment costs.\nMore information on burnout.\nYour rights and obligations during long-term illness # During long-term illness, specific events and actions must take place at specific times. Some of these obligations are on the employee, and some on the employer. Some are needed for you to be able apply for WIA benefit.\nRights # As an employee, you have at least the following general rights (non-exhaustive):\nRight to manage their own health Right to choose their own healthcare providers Right to a second opinion from an alternative company doctor, at the company\u0026rsquo;s expense Obligations # As an employee, you have at least the following general obligations (non-exhaustive):\nWork with your employer on the plan of action (the reintegration plan) in conjunction with advice from the company doctor Regularly meet with the employer, as per the plan of action Stick to any agreements made with the employer, usually as stated in the plan of action Work with the company doctor if any agreements with the employer can\u0026rsquo;t be met or are unachievable. For example, if treatment isn\u0026rsquo;t working as expected, the number of hours a week you work may have to be adjusted down. Participate in any required events, such as the Year 1 review or the End evaluation. The role of company doctors # A company doctor a primary care doctor paid by the employer. Their professional goal is for you to get well, so that you\u0026rsquo;re able to resume your regular work activities. Company doctors should observe strict patient-doctor confidentiality and shouldn\u0026rsquo;t share medical information with the employer.\nThe company doctor is, however, allowed to share non-medical information with your employer, concerning:\nYour capabilities and limitations, and the extent to which you\u0026rsquo;re able to work An indication as to how long they expect you to be absent Any advice regarding adjustments, work arrangements, or interventions that the employer should implement for you to be able to reintegrate For example, a company doctor may indicate to an employer:\n\u0026lsquo;It is unadvised for the patient to be working at this time. The next evaluation is on 25 June.\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;The patient is undergoing a form of treatment which requires them to be absent from work for several hours, around 2-3 times a week.\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;It is advised that the patient reintegrates by doing light, desk-based work for 10 hours a week.\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;The patient is expected to be able to reintegrate over a period of 9 weeks. This is subject to change.\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;The patient should not be expected to reintegrate at this time.\u0026rsquo; Again, the company doctor isn\u0026rsquo;t allowed to share your medical information without your consent.\nWho\u0026rsquo;s allowed to know my medical information? # The Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (Dutch authority on the use of Personally Identifying Information, or PII) states on medical information:\n… no information from the medical file may be shared with others outside the practice or institution without the patient\u0026rsquo;s or client\u0026rsquo;s consent.\nThere are strict penalties in the Netherlands for accessing or sharing personal information without consent, a process that\u0026rsquo;s guarded by the Autoriteit Persoongegevens.\nThis means that you\u0026rsquo;re under no obligation to share medical information with your manager or boss.\nYou\u0026rsquo;re also under no obligation to share information with the company doctor. That said, providing your company doctor with relevant information may improve their ability to treat you. And like any other health care provider, company doctors are just as much required to keep your information confidential or they may face professional penalties.\nTimeline # If you\u0026rsquo;re long-term ill, certain events and actions need to take place at specific times. Here\u0026rsquo;s a diagram that gives a visual overview of what should happen when during the first two years of long-term illness:\nOverview of what needs to happen during year 1 and year 2 of long-term illness.\nThis section describes what should happen during the first two years of long-term illness.\nYou can also exit the long-term illness trajectory at any point before two years have passed.\nℹ️ Note: Keep specific dates (such as the first date of the illness, appointment dates with company doctors) in a calendar somewhere. Having a record of what happened when can help you, especially during the latter stages of long-term illness.\nYear 1 # Timeline Description Responsibility of Day 0 First day of illness First day of illness or reporting in sick. This generally involves talking to your manager or informing someone at your company. If you\u0026rsquo;re unsure what the process is, check with a colleague or your company policy. Employee Week 1\nContact with the company doctor Usually someone at your company will inform the company doctor within the first week. The company doctor might reach out to you, or you may be given the company doctor\u0026rsquo;s contact information and be asked to reach out.\n⚠️ Important: Contact your company doctor in line with your company\u0026rsquo;s policies. Employee + Employer By week 6\nDelivery of problem analysis The company doctor should deliver a problem analysis of your long-term illness to the company. This can contain information such as:Cause of illness, that is, whether it\u0026rsquo;s home related, work related, or a combination (no medical information)What sort of work you can still do, and how much (if any)What the key next steps are in the reintegration trajectoryFuture outlook in terms of work tasks and ability to perform your regular duties Company doctor, in consultation with the employee By week 8, or within 2 weeks of the problem analysis\nPlan of action delivered Employee and employer agree on a plan of action, generally based on the input from the company doctor. This can include:\nAdjustments to work tasks, such as no heavy liftingAdjustments to working hoursAdjustments to the working environment, for example a different chair, better ventilationAdditional company-provided treatment or therapies.Additional company-provided counseling or training, if applicable ℹ️ Note: Adjustments to working hours can mean 100% staying at home and rehabilitating. ℹ️ Note: The employer isn\u0026rsquo;t legally required to follow the advice of the company doctor. However, they generally do, as the company doctor\u0026rsquo;s recommendations are used if disputes happen later in the trajectory. Employee + Employer Week 8 until the exit from long-term illness, every 6 weeks at a minimum Evaluation meetings Meeting to assess how the reintegration trajectory is going in light of the plan of action. What\u0026rsquo;s working, what isn\u0026rsquo;t, do you require any adjustments?\nIf, for whatever reason, the plan of action isn\u0026rsquo;t working, then you need to contact the company doctor and follow their advice.\n⚠️ Important: You\u0026rsquo;re required to be present in these catch-up meetings (within reason). The employer must ensure the meetings take place at suitable times. Employee + Employer Week 42\nIllness declared to UWV Generally the government agency called \u0026lsquo;P-Direkt\u0026rsquo; reports your long-term illness to the UWV. If P-Direkt doesn\u0026rsquo;t perform this task, then the employer needs to do so. Employer Weeks 44-48\nPrepare for year 1 evaluation The UWV informs the employer about the process of the year 1 evaluation. The employer gets relevant information and advice from the company doctor and submits that to UWV. Employer By week 52\nYear 1 evaluation You\u0026rsquo;ll meet with your employer to evaluate your reintegration trajectory \u0026ndash; what works, what doesn\u0026rsquo;t, what the future entails \u0026ndash; along with feedback from the company doctor. The focus is on your capability to perform your regular work duties. The conversation will likely include questions along the lines of:\nAre you likely to reintegrate at all? If not, could you consider applying for early WIA benefit?Can you likely reintegrate into your current role? If not, can you reintegrate into another role at the same company? (Eerste spoor)If not, can you reintegrate into a similar role at another company? (Tweede spoor)What is the plan of action for the coming year? ⚠️ Important:This conversion should only concern your ability to perform your regular work tasks, and shouldn\u0026rsquo;t consider specific medical details. The company doctor can advise what your capabilities are without providing medical information.\nℹ️ Note: The year 1 evaluation reports is supplied as evidence to the UWV at the end of the 2-year period. Employee + Employer Week 52+\nSalary reduction likely Dutch law requires companies in the Netherlands to pay at minimum 70% of your salary for the whole 2-year period of long-term illness. That said, it\u0026rsquo;s common for companies to pay 100% of your salary for most if not all of the first year, and then reduce that to 70% from the start of year 2. (They\u0026rsquo;re also allowed to pay 100% for the whole 2 years.) Check your company policy for details. Employer Additional company benefits # Why might a company offer additional training, therapy, or other treatments when you\u0026rsquo;re ill? Two core reasons:\nThey are genuinely nice people at the company who care about your health There\u0026rsquo;s a salary-sized fiscal incentive, as the company is required to pay your wages while you\u0026rsquo;re away on sick leave ⚠️ Important: That your company pays for any additional resources does not mean they\u0026rsquo;re entitled to your medical information. To be explicit: if your company is paying for a psychologist, they\u0026rsquo;re in no way entitled to information about any of the conversations you had. That would be a severe breach of privacy, professional confidentiality, and data protection duties.\nYear 2 # Timeline Description Responsibility of From week 8, continued every 6 weeks at a minimum Evaluation meetings Meetings to evaluate how your reintegration is going in light of the plan of action continue. The content of the discussions may change though in year 2. If it\u0026rsquo;s unlikely that you\u0026rsquo;ll return to a role at your current company (a trajectory called \u0026lsquo;eerste spoor\u0026rsquo;), then alternatives (so-called \u0026lsquo;tweede spoor\u0026rsquo;) may be discussed and your plan of action might get adjusted. Employee + Employer By week 68 Deadline to apply for early WIA benefit If it\u0026rsquo;s clear that you won\u0026rsquo;t be able to return to your role (for example due to terminal illness), then you can apply early for the WIA benefit. Your application needs to be in by week 68. Employee + Company doctor Weeks 86 to 93 Start compiling end evaluation If it\u0026rsquo;s clear that you\u0026rsquo;re unlikely to return to your role, then you can now start creating an end evaluation. The end evaluation gives an overview of the reintegration process, along with some documents produced along the way. This includes the year 1 evaluation, as well as your medical dossier compiled by the company doctor. You\u0026rsquo;ll submit the end evaluation and accompanying documents when applying for the WIA benefit. The insurance doctor at the UWV evaluates the information to ensure that the diagnosis and treatments were within guidelines. Employee + Company doctor Week 88 The UWV notifies you to outline how you can apply for the WIA benefit. UWV By week 93 Apply for WIA benefit If you\u0026rsquo;re unlikely to reintegrate, and if you\u0026rsquo;re applying for WIA benefit, then you must now submit the end evaluation and accompanying documents to the UWV. The employer submits their application for a permit to end your contract, together with supporting evidence. In exceptional cases, the UWV can extend this deadline if you\u0026rsquo;re on a reintegration trajectory and are very likely to reintegrate before the end of the 2 year period. Employee + Employer Week 104 UWV decision known The UWV should by now have communicated: whether you\u0026rsquo;ll receive the WIA benefit or not whether your employer is allowed to end your contract unilaterally or not If the employer is allowed to unilaterally end your contract, then you\u0026rsquo;re now officially without a job. If your WIA benefit application got approved, then from now on you\u0026rsquo;ll paid directly by the UWV. ⚠️ Important: If you\u0026rsquo;re in the Netherlands on a work-related visa, check whether you\u0026rsquo;re still allowed to stay in the country. UWV After year 2 # The UWV must ensure that your employer has followed all the rules and regulations in the process of long-term illness correctly. If the UWV denies the employer\u0026rsquo;s request to unilaterally terminate your contract, then the UWV can require the employer to continue with the reintegration trajectory. This can happen for up to another 52 weeks, and is at the discretion of the UWV.\nDisputing the UWV\u0026rsquo;s decision # If the UWV permits your employer to unilaterally end your contract, but you believe they shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have, then you have the right to challenge the UWV\u0026rsquo;s decision.\nFor example, when requesting permission from the UWV to end your contract, the employer must provide certain documents as evidence. If you have indication that some of the documents that your employer submitted are incorrect, then you can argue that this invalidates their case. And that the employer\u0026rsquo;s request to be allowed to fire you shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be granted.\nIf you dispute the UWV\u0026rsquo;s decision and the UWV rules in your favour, then you keep your contract. You remain employed, the reintegration process will generally continue, and your boss must continue to pay you.\nℹ️ Note: Unsure whether your case was handled correctly? You might want to contact a labour lawyer.\nReasons why the UWV might reject the employer\u0026rsquo;s request # Some of the reasons why the UWV may deny the employer\u0026rsquo;s request to be allowed to unilaterally terminate your contract:\nEmployer has made insufficient efforts to facilitate your reintegration There are signs that you could still recover and reintegrate Evidence as to how occupationally impaired you are is unclear Your medical dossier, compiled by the company doctor, contains insufficient information to justify terminating your contract Procedural errors You\u0026rsquo;ve challenged the UWV\u0026rsquo;s earlier decision to allow the employer to terminate your contract, and the UWV agrees with your challenge Exiting long-term illness # You can exit the long-term illness trajectory in various ways:\nReintegration \u0026hellip; \u0026hellip; into your current company (Eerste spoor) \u0026hellip; into a different company (Tweede spoor) Employer terminates the contract Resigning? Generally not advised The following sections give more information on each of these options.\nThere\u0026rsquo;s no \u0026lsquo;correct\u0026rsquo; way to exit a long-term illness trajectory. Which path you take depends on many factors, and should always focus on what\u0026rsquo;s best for you given your personal circumstances.\nReintegration # Reintegration involves going back to formal, paid work in some form or other, and in some capacity or other\u0026mdash;whether that\u0026rsquo;s in your current role, a different role, at your current company or a different one.\nYour reintegration strategy should be part of the plan to action. You\u0026rsquo;re considered as having successfully reintegrated when you:\nAre working your agreed contracted hours Are performing your regular duties, or agreed adjusted duties Have been doing (1) and (2) for 4 consecutive weeks Eerste spoor: Reintegrate into current company # The Eerste spoor (roughly, \u0026lsquo;first track\u0026rsquo;) way of exiting a long-term illness trajectory involves reintegrating into the company where you\u0026rsquo;re currently working. Eerste spoor generally assumes a non-terminal disability, which could either be temporary or permanent. Examples of re-integrating through eerste spoor include:\nSituation Comment Reintegrate into your current role Bluntly put, \u0026lsquo;back to the day job\u0026rsquo;. Reintegrate into the same role, but in a different part of the business Mostly applicable if your illness was related to the specific work environment, and you work at a larger organization. For example, a project manager may experience high stress in one department, but might thrive doing the same work in a different department. Reintegrate into a different, equivalent role in the same company This could apply if a physical injury prevents you from doing your current job, and your work environment couldn\u0026rsquo;t be adjusted to suit this role specifically. For example, if an injury leaves you unable to walk. Reintegrate into the same role, but at a permanently reduced capacity Some illnesses can leave you at a permanently reduced capacity to work. For example, if you\u0026rsquo;ve experienced repeated concussions or strokes, at the end of the 2-year trajectory you may have the prognosis that you\u0026rsquo;ll be able to work at at most 70% capacity. Tweede spoor: Reintegrate into a different company # The Tweede spoor (second track) involves reintegrating into a different company. Your contract with the current company would end, and a new one at another company begins.\nIs this strange? It can actually make a lot of sense in certain situations. For example:\nYou work in a call centre. Your long-term illness is related to the subject matter of the calls, which induces anxiety and makes you relive past trauma. You\u0026rsquo;re reintegrating, but it\u0026rsquo;s clear that the work environment isn\u0026rsquo;t conducive to your recovery. In consultation with the company doctor, you start looking at job postings for call centre work at other companies where the subject matter doesn\u0026rsquo;t hamper your recovery. If a suitable position is found, then the tweede spoor has benefits to all the parties:\nYou get to work in an environment that suits you better. You\u0026rsquo;re likely allowed to continue your reintegration trajectory, and are less likely to require WIA or WW benefits. The previous company no longer has to pay your wages and facilitate the reintegration trajectory. The new company gets certain tax benefits and can get insurance to absorb the risk of onboarding someone who\u0026rsquo;s reintegrating from long-term illness. ⚠️ Important: You shouldn\u0026rsquo;t ever be pressured to apply for jobs in other companies during your reintegration. Only consider tweede spoor in consultation with the company doctor, never at the initiative of the employer.\nA note on reintegrating at a reduced capacity # If you\u0026rsquo;re still able to work to some extent, though not 100% of your prior hours, then you could consider reintegrating at a reduced capacity. This option for exiting the long-term illness trajectory might come up in conversation with the company doctor.\nNote, though, that the option to reintegrate at a reduced capacity might not be available in all cases. While the company must facilitate your reintegration, they aren\u0026rsquo;t required to offer you reduced hours if they can argue it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be feasible.\nFor example: You\u0026rsquo;re reintegrating and the company doctor expects that you might be able to reach 60% of your previous capacity. The company, however, argues that they need someone at 80% capacity, otherwise it\u0026rsquo;ll negatively impact their business.\nIn this case, the UWV decides what happens to your contract.\nEmployer terminates the contract # If you fulfill your obligations as a worker who\u0026rsquo;s long-term ill (see: Timeline), it\u0026rsquo;s pretty much impossible for your employer to unilaterally end your contract during the first 2 years illness.\nYour employer can only unilaterally end your contract during long-term illness if the UWV gives them permission to do so. But the UWV has strict rules on when it\u0026rsquo;ll give such permission, and generally won\u0026rsquo;t do so during the first two years of illness.\nThe only exception to this is at the end of the long-term illness trajectory where the employer applies for a permit to unilaterally end the contract.\nAt the end of the 2 years, two applications made to the UWV:\nYou apply for the WIA Benefit The employer applies for a permit to end the contract unilaterally The UWV has the last say on whether the employer can end your contract or not.\nIf the UWV approved the employer\u0026rsquo;s request (though see here for some reasons they might not) and your WIA benefit application, then you\u0026rsquo;ll now get paid monthly by the UWV.\nℹ️ Note: You don\u0026rsquo;t resign at the end of the two-year process. Instead, assuming you applied and are eligible, you\u0026rsquo;ll transfer to receiving the WIA or WW benefits. So never resign if anyone in the company asks or pressures you to do so!\n⚠️ Important: Many work visas, such as the kennismigrant (knowledge migrant, highly-skilled migrant) visa, require you to be formally employed. When your contract ends, then you\u0026rsquo;re no longer formally employed. The WIA benefit is not seen as employment. Hence, you\u0026rsquo;re no longer meeting your work visa requirements. Without a valid visa, you may need to leave the country after two years of long-term illness.\nResigning? Don\u0026rsquo;t do it! (in most cases) # Your work environment itself may be anxiety-inducing and hampering your recovery. On top of that, the long-term illness reintegration process can be bureaucratic, and at times stressful. Especially if you\u0026rsquo;re not sure if obligations are being followed correctly. (This happens more often than it should.)\nAs a result, some people decide it\u0026rsquo;s just not worth the hassle to try to reintegrate. They want to cut the process short and resign.\nThink very carefully if you\u0026rsquo;re planning to resign!\nIf you resign, then you may become ineligible for the most important benefits available in the Netherlands for people who experience long-term illness or unemployment. Benefits that you\u0026rsquo;d be fully entitled to otherwise.\nHere\u0026rsquo;s why.\nThe WW and WIA benefits are designed to cover situations where you\u0026rsquo;re unable to work due to factors outside of your control. However, when you resign from a job, authorities in the Netherlands will frame that as you being able to work, but simply choosing not to do so. Choosing not to work is within your control. Hence, in the worst case scenario, resigning may leave you ineligible for the WIA or WW benefits that you\u0026rsquo;d normally be entitled to.\nOf course whether you resign or not is still a personal choice. There\u0026rsquo;s always a choice. Decide what\u0026rsquo;s best for you, and ideally discuss your choices with someone you trust and a healthcare provider.\nFAQ # How can I find my company\u0026rsquo;s sick leave policy? # Not all companies have a published policy, however if there is one, it should always be accessible on some intranet or document archive. If all else fails:\nAsk a coworker Ask someone in HR Ask your manager Will people think I\u0026rsquo;m just on a paid vacation? # People might think that, but they\u0026rsquo;re wrong and it couldn\u0026rsquo;t be any further from the truth. Some people lack empathy in these situations, and they just may not know how to interact in that case. The reality is, if you\u0026rsquo;re ill and can\u0026rsquo;t work, then you need time to recover\u0026mdash;as would anyone else in those circumstances.\nCan my doctor say I\u0026rsquo;m not allowed to work? # You might feel you need to ask your doctor: \u0026lsquo;Am I allowed to work?\u0026rsquo;. However, it\u0026rsquo;s not for a doctor to give or refuse permission to work like that to their patients.\nWhat doctors, and any other healthcare provider, can do is give you personal advice on what\u0026rsquo;s best for your treatment. For example, they might say: \u0026lsquo;I would recommend you take at least 3 weeks rest to recover\u0026rsquo;, and state how (not) following their advice could affect your treatment. Hence as a patient, it\u0026rsquo;s more helpful to ask your healthcare provider what sort of activities you can best do and avoid, and for how long, given the specific treatment you\u0026rsquo;re undergoing.\nHow can I be 30% occupationally impaired (arbeidsongeschikt)? # The extent to which you\u0026rsquo;re impaired can vary depending on what specific illness you have and the expected prognosis. For example, you may have suffered an acquired brain injury (such as a stroke) which leaves you still able to work, but at a reduced capacity.\nMy manager keeps giving me random medical advice. What should I do? # In general, your manager shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have medical details of your illness.\nFrom a social perspective, maybe they\u0026rsquo;re trying to be overly helpful? If the advice is unwelcome, you can tell them that you appreciate that they\u0026rsquo;re trying to help, but that it\u0026rsquo;s not helping you right now. If that doesn\u0026rsquo;t resolve the situation, then you can escalate matter internally, for example by speaking to HR.\nCan my boss or line manager ask about my diagnosis? # No. Really no.\nThey can ask \u0026lsquo;When will you come back?\u0026rsquo;, or \u0026lsquo;What work will you be able to perform?\u0026rsquo;. But anything related to what illness you have, a specific diagnosis, or medical information, is a hard no.\nThe reality is that people are curious, however you\u0026rsquo;re under no obligation to share medical details with anyone in your company.\nIs my manager allowed to share my reintegration plan with my teammates? # Medical information: No. Your manager shouldn\u0026rsquo;t have medical details of your illness in the first place. And if they do, medical information is protected data and mustn\u0026rsquo;t be shared without your explicit consent.\nHowever, your manager can share information insofar as it\u0026rsquo;s relevant in the context of performing work duties. For example, it can be useful for your coworkers to know which tasks you\u0026rsquo;re picking up right now.\nInformation about where you are in your reintegration (such as how many hours you\u0026rsquo;re building up), are less relevant though. Discuss with your manager what you\u0026rsquo;re comfortable sharing.\nIs the company doctor allowed to share my medical details with the company? # Medical details: No.\nWhere it concerns their advice on what work duties you\u0026rsquo;re able to perform: Yes.\nFor example, the company doctor might have advised you that while you\u0026rsquo;re receiving certain medical treatment, it\u0026rsquo;s best for you not to perform your usual work duties. Only the company doctor\u0026rsquo;s advice should be communicated both to you (their patient) and your employer (the company), not any confidential medical information.\nMy GP and my company doctor disagree. Who\u0026rsquo;s right? # Your company doctor, GP, and any specialists you might be seeing are all heathcare providers. In theory, they should all have your well-being and recovery at heart.\nHowever, only the company doctor\u0026rsquo;s advice forms the direct input to your plan of action, which ultimately you and your employer should agree upon. Your company doctor can ask for additional information from your other healthcare providers, however this needs to be under strict written consent from you, the patient. The information should always be sent between the health care providers (there is a formal channel for this), and the patient shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be requested to gather this information directly.\nIf you\u0026rsquo;re concerned about the advice your company doctor is giving you, then you\u0026rsquo;re fully entitled to a second opinion from an alternative company doctor \u0026ndash; at the company\u0026rsquo;s expense.\nI disagree with my company doctor\u0026rsquo;s advice. What should I do? # You can get a second opinion fron an alternative company doctor. The employer is required to pay for it.\nCan the company doctor tell me to leave the company? # A company doctor can only advise; they\u0026rsquo;re not here to tell you what to do or not do.\nIf the cause of the illness is related to the work environment at the specific company, then the company doctor may suggest you consider Tweede Spoor, a trajectory where you\u0026rsquo;d reintegrate at a different company. But outright instructing you to leave the company? No.\nI\u0026rsquo;m reintegrating, but my health is getting worse. Can I go back to full sick leave? # Yes of course. Your reintegration should match what you are capable of doing. If you\u0026rsquo;re unable to work right now, then you shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be working right now. That said, it\u0026rsquo;s best practice to consult with your company doctor on any change you make. The Ziektewet requires you as a worker to consult with the company doctor and your employer at regular intervals, so make sure you meet those requirements.\nWhat happens if I was ill, recovered, and then got ill again with something else? # In the eyes of the Ziektewet, long-term illness is defined in terms of a long-term illness period, not by what illness you have. A long-term illness period starts on the first day of your sick leave, and automatically ends after you\u0026rsquo;ve worked 100% of your contracted work duties for 4 weeks in a row.\nIf a second illness occurs during those 4 weeks which prevents you from performing your regular duties, then in the eyes of the law it\u0026rsquo;s the same illness period \u0026ndash; regardless of whether the illness is something completely different form what you had before.\nFor example, say you\u0026rsquo;ve been reintegrating from burnout just gone back to working at 100%. If in week 3 you break a leg and need to go back to 20%, that technically counts as the same illness period, even though a broken leg is not the same as burnout.\nWhy does this matter? It matters, because after 2 years of illness, your employer can ask the UWV for permission to end your contract unilaterally.\nIn an extreme example, you may have been reintegrating over 22 months, went back to 100%, but then break your leg after 3 weeks. Your employer could now ask the UWV for permission to get rid of you if you\u0026rsquo;re not back at 100% within a matter of weeks.\nIf you\u0026rsquo;re in this situation, talk to your employer and company doctor. At their discretion, it might be possible to count the second illness as a separate illness period \u0026ndash; giving you space to recover instead of going on a fast-track to losing your job.\nI\u0026rsquo;m on probation or on a fixed-term contract. Does that make a difference? # Yes, and sadly not in the worker\u0026rsquo;s favour.\nEmployers can end your contract during the probation period, or not renew a fixed-term contract, without giving any reason whatsoever. This means that if you get ill during your probation period or while on a fixed-term contract, the employer can end your contract without you having recourse on the provisions provided through the Ziektewet.\nDepending on your circumstances, you may not even be entitled to the WW-benefit.\nThis absolutely sucks, especially given the rise in the use of short-term contracts, but it\u0026rsquo;s the reality of the law as it currently is.\nHow will long-term illness affect my work visa? # 🤷 What happens to your work visa at the end of the 2 year long-term illness trajectory really depends on the specifics of your visa. Many work visas require a condition of employment to remain valid. If you\u0026rsquo;ve been ill for 2 years, your employer can ask the UWV for permission to unilaterally end your contract. If the UWV gives that permission, then at the end of the 2 year period you\u0026rsquo;re officially without a job.\nTo be sure, check the specific requirements of your visa, maybe consult with the government immigration department (IND). And you might want to consult a labour lawyer too.\nThings aren\u0026rsquo;t going well. How can I escalate? # It depends on what the issue is:\nIf you have concerns about the advice given to you by your company doctor, you can ask for a second opinion, and the company will have to pay for it. If your manager is exhibiting transgressive behaviour, for example by trying to pressure you into working more than you\u0026rsquo;re able to, then you can escalate to HR. If you disagree with the UVW\u0026rsquo;s decision to give your employer permission to end your contract unilaterally, then you can mount a dispute. Also, keep a paper trail. If you feel you\u0026rsquo;re not being treated correctly, then ask for any requests in writing (email). If your manager doesn\u0026rsquo;t send you things in writing, you can create the paper trail yourself. Write up your own summary with your understanding of what was agreed, send it to your manager, and ask them to point out any errors. This way, you\u0026rsquo;re ensuring a paper trail exists even with uncooperative managers.\nWhere can I get legal advice? # Are you a member of a labour union? That\u0026rsquo;s a great place to start. Disputes have been happening for centuries, and in a union you can find other workers who support you. You might also be able to get a lawyer directly through your labour union, if needed.\nGet help # Still feeling stuck? Feel free to contact hey@techwerkers.nl and a fellow worker will try to give you some contacts.\n","date":"4 April 2026","permalink":"/en/resources/long-term-illness/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"Long-term illness in the Netherlands"},{"content":"","date":null,"permalink":"/en/resources/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"Resources"},{"content":" Join ","date":null,"permalink":"/en/","section":"Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"Tech Workers Coalition"},{"content":" Take part in one of the upcoming events. Get in touch to add your own tech worker event. ","date":null,"permalink":"/en/events/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Events"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"2 March 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-03-02/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Spotlight: LLMs at work # Do you use LLMs (popularly called ‘AI’) as part of your work? And if yes, is that by choice, or because your boss tells you to do so?\nMore and more tech workers report being either gently nudged, or not-so-gently forced under the threat of repercussions, to use LLMs at work.\nBut did you know that such instructions to LLMs or work differently, could constitute a change in labour conditions? In which case your boss or manager may actually need to get consent from your staff representative body or works council before being allowed to force through such a change.\nIn other words: you and your coworkers could use your staff representative body or works council to push back against any forced use of specific tools.\nYour work, your choice.\nDon’t have staff representative body or works council? Join Techwerkers to get one set up.\nUpcoming events # Want to hang out with other tech workers? Join one of the upcoming events:\n6 March, 3pm - online: Friday Fika 8 March, 1pm - Dam, Amsterdam: Celebrate women workers! 16 March, 7pm - online: Organizing meetup 17 March, 7pm - online: Book club: Blood in the Machine 20 March, 3pm - online: Friday Fika 28 March, 7pm - Grand Café Utopie, Den Haag: No war but class war More events are still in the works, so keep an eye on the events calendar for the latest info.\nIs your manager conscious?? 🤔\nNew article # A fresh new opinion piece for tech workers:\nGet in, loser. We’re reclaiming music as art. # What happens to how you experience music, when all you ever listen to are vibe playlists with background filler content? Tech worker and artist SUPERDAZE says it’s time to reclaim music as the art form it really is.\nRead the article\nOn the radar # Here’s what’s been on Techwerkers’ radar recently:\nFebruary strike: On 25-27 February it was 85 years since workers in the Netherlands went on strike en masse to resist occupation government measures, including forced labour and deportations. Tech workers took part in events to celebrate those workers’ courage, including in Zaandam, Hilversum, and Amsterdam. Dutch government wants to slash your pension, reduce what you’re entitled to if you lose your job, become long-term ill, or need support in light of a disability. Workers disagree. Representatives of the labour unions FNV, CNV, and VCP announced that workers are ready for workplace action if plans aren’t reversed. (Also makes you think, where did all the dosh for recent massive increases in military spending come from??) Relatedly, in this questionnaire you can let representatives of the FNV union know what you think about the government policy plans. Dutch LLM Overview: Curious how much energy your LLM usage wastes? Or how biased and dishonest a specific model is? Researchers at Amsterdam municipality tested a bunch of models and these are the results. Does change feel impossible sometimes? You’re not alone. Tech worker Simone Robutti wrote an article on how you can regain a sense of political agency; a sense that your actions have a real impact on the world. From the piece: “Community isn’t a mystical utopia. It mostly means showing up, over and over, to do practical and annoying things for beloved and annoying people.”\nWant to get more involved with Techwerkers?\nJoin today.\n","date":"1 March 2026","permalink":"/en/posts/2026-march/","section":"News","summary":"This month\u0026rsquo;s update brings you the latest on forced LLM use, reclaiming music as art, curious reads, and cozy events for tech workers.","title":"Forced LLM use, reclaiming music as art, and more | March 2026"},{"content":"OK, the bad news first: The music streaming business model is trying hard to capture an entire art form and squeeze it into a commodity. We, as artists and listeners, are being pulled into monopolies in the name of convenience or success, whatever either means for art. Meanwhile, our perception of and interaction with a fundamental art form is getting warped and replaced by something honestly quite damn boring.\nAnd now for the good news: Art is undying, uncapturable, untamable, and we can do a lot to give it a hand to thrive, while also enjoying the perks of streaming technology.\nTape surgery # I have this vivid memory of lying on the carpet at our house when I was about 9 or 10, with our old cassette player sitting right next to my face. I’d wait for any track I liked to come on the radio, press ‘record’ as quickly as I could to capture as much of the song and as little of the ads as possible on a repurposed cassette. These little radio bootlegs soon became an important part of my music collection. Around that time, I started giving surgeries to my cassettes whose shells or tape got too damaged, including whole-ass transplants into a new body! (Equipment checklist: Scotch tape, scissors, a pencil, a screwdriver, and some old cassettes ‘borrowed’ from my parents.)\nI began to spend my modest allowance on music zines and bargain bin finds in record stores and ‘90s Turkish supermarkets, grabbing albums with cover art and names that looked different. These excursions expanded my understanding of what music could be with PJ Harvey, Tricky, Sonic Youth (and admittedly a bunch of ska bands). I still attribute my understanding of musical structure as a musician largely to the iconic Swedish pop-rock duo Roxette. The way Per Gessle wrote simple yet amazing melodies (in his case paired with playful rhythmic delight) soon became my favorite type of musical talent; the likes of which I noticed I had already discovered in Kayahan and Sezen Aksu, and was soon to discover in Dolores O\u0026rsquo;Riordan and Kurt Cobain. These people, I was convinced, were born to write music. I believed that writing a melody was as natural and effortless to them as breathing. Around the same time, I started playing in random bands (only to find out I don\u0026rsquo;t enjoy playing in bands).\nAs I became so consumed by this magical entity that is music, it no longer only felt transcendental: it was essential.\nThe desensitizing effect of the streaming model # Looking back, it\u0026rsquo;s not hard to see my 10-year-old radio-bootlegging self would have been left speechless by the idea of streaming: accessing nearly any commercial release across the world, anywhere, for pocket money.\nBut how long would it take for my obsession with music, which in reality lasted well into this day, to wane, and for music to turn from something special I actively chase into a commodity available to me at all times without limits? Would I still have made music and gained the psychological enrichment I get from it, or would music have simply become background noise or content for consumption in a few years, never to be valued or sought again by younger me?\nBesides those personal questions that plague my mind, I have more pressing general ones: Is limitless access really a benefit when it comes to art, or does it just lead to inertia via choice overload? What happens to how we value the medium we don\u0026rsquo;t ever have to work for again? And when we go a step further and disregard thousands of years of human labor of love in art and introduce ‘art-inspired content’ created with ethically problematic tech, do we find it harder to care after being so conditioned to be desensitized?\nIt’s not the tech, it’s the business # It\u0026rsquo;s not so much the streaming technology itself that is the problem; I think the tech is stellar. It\u0026rsquo;s the way the streaming business model does fundamental damage to the medium it so ruthlessly exploits.\nYou might already be familiar with the ethical discussions around the streaming model, from the horrifyingly low (to no) payout to artists, to being riddled with generative AI content passed off as original music. And within all that, there\u0026rsquo;s the tier of relentlessly harmful platforms like Spotify that give a major pass to generative AI, intentionally place fake artists in their playlists, remove payouts to artists with less than 1000 streams per year (affecting an estimated 82.7% of the music on the platform at the time of the decision), and has a CEO who invests in AI military.\nBut that mountain of issues is not even my biggest beef with the streaming model. It\u0026rsquo;s the way the streaming business model inevitably wants to monopolize our access to music and has been actively turning music from a form of art with an extremely rich history into ‘content’ for mindless consumption. Background noise for every moment of our lives…\nThe erosion of agency # With playlist and ‘vibe’ culture being pushed so hard by Spotify and the like, concept albums—heck, even the concept of ‘albums’—are being replaced with ‘vibe playlists’.\nVibe playlists mean that we end up not knowing the names of some of the artists that we regularly listen to anymore. Sometimes we just know which playlist that one track that we like is in. As noted by Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin, this playlist-centric approach also makes streaming platforms big money by locking in players to platform-specific playlists—unlike albums, which are basically the same wherever you listen to them.\nThere is a lack of intent and erosion of agency that is built into the streaming model by design.\nHow the streaming business model erodes agency: the less intent there is behind what you listen to, the less work it takes to listen, the greater the convenience, the more you’ll get addicted to the experience, to more profit for the company. If technology serves a purpose while being fair to its medium, it can be a great option. And so can streaming, when it\u0026rsquo;s one way to listen to music and not the only way. If streaming is supposed to offer freedom and convenience, how come we are listening to the same 11 tracks over and over again, or leaving the entire agency of what is playing to algorithms whose purpose and inner workings are not made clear to us?\nFrom art to ‘content’ # Streaming platforms are now riddled with generative AI content passed off as original music. This content is automatically generated with ethically problematic tech.\nApart from generative AI content prompters themselves and people who are genuinely indifferent to the art, I can\u0026rsquo;t imagine many people wanting to regularly listen to AI-generated music content by choice. Yet the aptly-named ‘AI slop’ is simply all over streaming services, whether we realize it or not.\nIt seems like the less we know, the better for the services. Spotify, for example, recently addressed the issue of generative AI in an article, the sum of which sounds like something like this to me:\nLike\u0026hellip; we\u0026rsquo;re obviously working with partners to label AI slop which is a problem\u0026hellip; Buuuut also like AI is technology and weren\u0026rsquo;t synths once new tech? You like auto-tune don\u0026rsquo;t you? Guess what? Technology! BAM! But ofc AI sucks because it makes creatives nervous, but it\u0026rsquo;s soooo good for artists also so idk 😬\n(Notice how AI is supposedly bad for ‘creatives’ but good for ‘artists’? Some fine language crafting there.)\nKombucha girl meme sets the perfect tone for Spotify’s stance on generative AI content: it doesn't want to ban AI content, but just claims it's good for artists. If streaming platforms had genuine worries about generative AI content, they would enforce labeling or an outright ban against generative AI content on their platform. And that\u0026rsquo;s exactly what Bandcamp did. At the time of writing this article, Bandcamp is the only music platform that has banned AI-generated ‘music content’. (A quick note: I hope Bandcamp extends its valuable effort to AI-generated content of all forms, such as album covers. Because there is no saving one form of art while another suffers from the same abuse). Deezer also started AI labeling last year.\nIs piracy really evil? # Regulatory bodies, record companies, and some big-name musicians tell me that music piracy is a big evil. As an indie artist with a modest commercial body of work out there, I don\u0026rsquo;t see it that way.\nI believe that most people who pirate music do it out of a mix of passion for the art and a lack of means to access it commercially. I grew up in a country where I simply had no access to a lot of music and art I was inspired by and dying to get my hands on, such as that of bands and works of art that came out of the Riot Grrrl and Queercore movements of the 90s. Thanks to websites like last.fm and off-the-books apps like Soulseek and AudioGalaxy, I made friends, shared insights, and well, music, with people who not only had access but were active in those scenes.\nAs a person who makes music, I find more excitement in people pirating my music than streaming it, because it feels like they care about the music. Whereas having my tracks randomly come up in the background as filler ‘content’, just because that’s what the algorithm does, feels so much less\u0026hellip; soulful.\nLet’s reclaim music as art # All I\u0026rsquo;m really saying is\u0026hellip; Let\u0026rsquo;s reclaim music as a form of art and give artists a pat on the back and some money for making our lives better. While legislation slowly catches up with the damage being done to art and the artist (or if it does that at all), we can still do a lot.\nFor me, this might involve buying digital or physical albums on Bandcamp (especially on Bandcamp Fridays, where the entire payment goes to the artist) and merch from official resources. For someone more extroverted, it can look like going to gigs regularly and maybe grabbing some band merch there. This way, I’ll happily stream music and have my own music available on all streaming platforms (except Spotify) while making sure I directly support artists and platforms that are pro-artist and pro-music first. We are many, and as we\u0026rsquo;ve seen time and again, we are powerful.\nTo quote my favorite book, What Art Does by Bette Adriaanse and Brian Eno:\n\u0026ldquo;In whatever we are doing, we have to make it as though we are in that new world. By making objects, systems, experiences and collaborations that belong to that world, it comes into being. Live the world you want.\u0026rdquo;\nSo let\u0026rsquo;s make music, buy some albums, go to gigs, get that cool band t-shirt we\u0026rsquo;ve been eyeing, and talk to each other about music. Let\u0026rsquo;s always talk to each other about music, deal?\nThis article was written by SUPERDAZE, with editorial feedback from Kit.\n","date":"1 March 2026","permalink":"/en/posts/music-as-art/","section":"News","summary":"What happens to how you experience music, when all you ever listen to are vibe playlists with background filler content? Tech worker and artist SUPERDAZE says it\u0026rsquo;s time to reclaim music as the art form it really is.","title":"Get in, loser. We’re reclaiming music as art."},{"content":"","date":null,"permalink":"/en/posts/","section":"News","summary":"","title":"News"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"16 February 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-02-16/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Come discuss a book with other tech workers! The title for this session is still to be confirmed. Join Techwerkers if you\u0026rsquo;ve got a suggestion or want to vote on the title.\nAll welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\n","date":"3 February 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-02-03/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Book club: To be confirmed"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"2 February 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-02-02/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Spotlight: Layoffs at ASML # On 28 January managers at semiconductor producer ASML, based in Veldhoven (Noord-Brabant, NL), announced that they\u0026rsquo;re going fire around 1,700 workers. ASML managers chose mass layoffs, even though they admit that business is going well. Really well. What\u0026rsquo;s going on here?\nCompanies use layoffs as a short-term cost-cutting tool, often to placate shareholders. Instead of distributing increased profits back to the workers who actually created that wealth, workers are given the sack.\nASML is just the latest big company in the Netherlands to pull this trick. Meta and Booking did the same last year.\nAre you fed up with doing all the work, and then being treated as disposable? Get organized with other tech workers!\nJoin Techwerkers today.\nUpcoming events # Want to hang out with other tech workers? Join one of the upcoming events:\n2 February, 6:00 pm CET, online: Organizing meetup 8 February, 7:00 pm CET, online: Comms for Activists - Intro + Q\u0026amp;A, by tech worker Xan 10 February, 7:00 pm CET, online: Book club: Enshittification 16 February, 6:00 pm CET, online: Organizing meetup 24 February, 7:00 pm CET, online: Book club (details to be confirmed) 26 February, Zaandam: Strike! Strike! Strike! Guided walk to remember the 1941 workers\u0026rsquo; strike (details to be confirmed) Also coming up: an open conversation on AI in the workplace, new knowledge sharing sessions, and more. Keep an eye on Techwerkers events for the latest info.\nNew resources # What to do when the internet goes down, AI impact in the workplace, and more fresh resources for tech workers:\nWhat if the internet goes down? Introduction to LoRa mesh network communication with Meshcore # Outages, centralization, and repression are growing risks to worker organizing. In this live session and accompanying article, tech workers Mar, Liam, and Marissa discuss how workers can stay connected even when the internet goes down, using LoRa mesh network communication with Meshcore software.\nWatch the talk or read the article.\nAI is hurting you at work (but it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to) # Companies use AI as a blanket excuse to underpay workers, erode worker protections, and conduct mass layoffs. But you as workers have the power to shape a different reality.\nRead the article.\nHow to get started with LoRa mesh network communication (Heltec T114 + Meshcore) # Want to send messages over long distances without the internet or mobile networks? In this beginner-friendly tutorial, tech worker Kit shows you how to get started with mesh network communication using a LoRa board and Meshcore.\nWatch the tutorial.\nLet\u0026rsquo;s build a MeshCore companion and use LoRa (Livestream!) # Curious about off-grid messaging and mesh network communication? Join live as tech worker Ben follows along with a beginner-friendly tutorial to set up a LoRa board using Meshcore.\nWatch the livestream playback.\nOn the radar # Here\u0026rsquo;s what\u0026rsquo;s been on Techwerkers\u0026rsquo; radar recently:\nDutch court rules that the supervisory board of the FNV labour union can push through undemocratic reforms against the wishes of union\u0026rsquo;s worker-members; a severe infringement on the democratic process at the FNV. The part of this supervisory board that made the decision, is affiliated with the right wing of the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA). Now that the top board of the FNV is only accountable to a zionist supervisory board, rather than the FNV\u0026rsquo;s members, it has also immediately capitulated and acquiesced to CIDI in order to silence those who speak up for Palestine at FNV-events. Trade unions are concerned about the sale of the Limburg petrochemical firm Sabic to a German investment company, want clarity about long-term consequences for workers. Tech giant Microsoft tricked regulators and may now go ahead in building a huge data centre in Amsterdam, likely resulting into huge negative impact on the environment and energy costs for working people. Having too few people to do too much work results in workplace stress, a report from FNV union finds. The team at Reversing.works, which exposes worker surveillance, is looking for beta testers of their tools. Want to get more involved? Join Techwerkers.\n","date":"1 February 2026","permalink":"/en/posts/2026-feb/","section":"News","summary":"The latest on layoffs at ASML, getting started with meshcore, plus ways to connect and organize together with other tech workers in the Netherlands.","title":"Layoffs at ASML, get started with meshcore, and more | February 2026"},{"content":"Last week the power went out in Amsterdam. Only for a few hours, mind. But long enough to cause some serious disruption. A power cut immediately affects your home wifi, as your router no longer works. Mobile GSM networks tend to have a backup battery, so may last a few hours longer. But if the power outage persists, eventually everything shuts down.\nEven if you’ve got power, your favourite internet service can go down. In October 2025 the messaging app Signal was offline due to a problem with Amazon Web Services. Cloudflare outages have repeatedly dragged down large parts of the internet. Are vibe coders pushing AI-slop straight to main? Is the internet generally getting shittier? Or is it just some bad luck? Whatever the cause, the centralisation you see in many parts of the internet poses a big risk.\nAnd let’s not forget authoritarian repression, on the increase in Europe as well. Governments and militaries are often able to switch off the internet and mobile phone networks as they please. For example, the Israeli occupation in Palestine regularly shuts down communication infrastructure in Gaza, trying to thwart the indigenous population’s self-organisation, or to prevent journalists from reporting on genocidal crimes that occupation forces commit.\nAs societies buckle under the effects of environmental change and capitalism, the question is when, not if, workers need to be ready to communicate and organise without the Internet.\nThe problem: How to stay in touch without the internet # The issue that I, together with comrades from Techwerkers and Extinction Rebellion - Justice Now!, confronted was: When the internet goes down, how can people stay in touch with one another? How could a community of hundreds of comrades scattered around the Netherlands keep operating?\nThe goal: Communication backup # Some form of backup communication infrastructure would have to be in place before the internet or phone networks would go down. That way, people would already know what to do and be comfortable switching to the alternative channels once the need would arise. The aim of the pilot group would be to try out this new system.\nThe requirements # What functionality would the group really need to preserve? Of course, the backup system would need to work even without the internet or phone services. In addition, the group had some specific requirements.\nMedium distances # Techwerkers has affiliated workers across the Netherlands’ mainland, including from Groningen to Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Eindhoven. Hence the system needed to reach further than the next street, but didn’t yet need to be able to reach Dakar or Ürümqi. Something that would cover distances between 0 and 500 km would do for now.\nDecentralized # As the Signal outage confirmed, having a single, central point of failure wasn’t an option. Such a setup could take down the entire communication system. Hence the backup would have to be a decentralized communication network.\nType of network Description Example Centralized A network in which a single element facilitates connections to all the nodes in the network. Communication with Signal (as with WhatsApp, Instagram, Zoom) is centralized, because all traffic must pass through Signal’s servers to reach its destination. Decentralized A network in which multiple nodes connect to multiple other nodes, without there being a single node that facilitates all those connections. Dutch air raid sirens form a decentralized communication network, in which each siren can communicate directly with other sirens and control nodes to receive updates or instructions to sound the alarm. No special licensing # The solution shouldn’t require any special licensing. We can’t expect all workers to go through some formal exam process to be able to join in with the backup communication system. It should be relatively easy.\nComparatively inexpensive # The system had to be comparatively inexpensive, too. Again, people shouldn’t need to invest in expensive equipment just to be able to take part in the backup system. As many workers already use their phones to communicate through messaging apps, a solution that would stay close to that routine would be preferable.\nDoesn’t rely on authorities # The solution mustn’t rely on official government services. People in the Netherlands tend to exhibit surprisingly high levels of obedience to authority. Emergencies often exacerbate such tendencies, pushing people even closer to state power. Perhaps understandably so, because the state often controls whatever infrastructure is still working. But, as past centuries have shown, within a capitalist system, state power serves the interests of businesses and rich people, while keeping regular workers exploited.\nYou don’t want people to grow sympathy for state powers. Hence, controlling your own communication networks allows you to stay more autonomous in emergency situations.\nWith the challenge now clearly defined, the pilot group went on to look for the right solution.\nThe solution: Mesh network communication with a LoRa board and Meshcore # The following options were considered, but ruled out:\nWalk over for a chat? Fine when someone’s nearby, but it takes just too long if the people you want to reach are spread out across a country. Bluetooth? Pretty much all phones have it, and there’s software for setting up peer-to-peer bluetooth connections. But the range is too limited; typically a couple of metres at best. Postcards? Still rather slow. Besides, you’d have to rely on some increasingly shitty privatised company, at least in this country. Amateur (HAM) radio? Radio is fast and allows for long-distance communication. But you’d need a licence and expensive equipment to get a good range. Carrier pigeons? Last time I checked they’d unionised, and now refuse to work for humans. Good on them. The pilot group discovered something that would meet its core requirements: mesh network communication, using relatively cheap LoRa boards and Meshcore software.\nWhat is mesh network communication? # Mesh network communication is a form of communication that uses a mesh network. A mesh network is a decentralised type of network, where every node can directly connect to every other node, without requiring a third-party to facilitate the connection. But in a mesh-network, many nodes can work together to make extended chains of connection, so that two nodes far apart can connect indirectly.\nWhen you use a mesh network for communication, you can send a message into the network, where it will get broadcast by other nodes towards yet further nodes, forming a chain of broadcasts until the message reaches its destination. Messages ‘hop’ from one node to the next, so to say. This way, even if your device and my device are out of reach of each other, there could be a chain of other devices part of the mesh network that allows a message to be passed on from you to me.\nThe advantage of mesh communication is that if a device drops away, some other device could take over and still create a path between you and the person you’re trying to reach. There’s redundancy built in, and that protects the network against calamities, sabotage etc.\nOkay, so can you make use of the benefits of mesh communication yourself? Enter LoRa.\nWhat is LoRa? # LoRa is a radio communication technology designed for low-powered, long-range communication between devices. LoRa was developed in 2009 by a French company called Cycleo. ‘LoRa’ stands for Long Range. How long is long range? Practically, it tends to be something like 10 kilometers, so for example from Maastricht to Valkenburg. But if you have a clear line of sight between the devices you could reach over 300 kilometers. That’s from Maastricht all the way to Paris!\nIn Europe you’re allowed to use LoRa on the frequencies around 433 MhZ and 868 MhZ. Anyone can use these frequencies without a licence. But can you use LoRa radio to send text messages to each other as well? Yes you can! You just need some special software.\nExample: Surveillance electricity meter # LoRa radio communication is already widely used by sensors and meters. In some countries the electricity meters in people’s homes form a mesh communication network, passing on meter readings from meter to meter until they reach the electricity company. So, if you have such a surveillance meter (also called a ‘smart meter’) installed at home, chances are you’ve already got a LoRa device!\nWhat is Meshcore? # Meshcore is software that turns a simple LoRa radio transmitter into a messaging platform. You take such a radio transmitter, a small single-board computer you can get for around 15-30 euros. You install the Meshcore software on it. And then you connect to the board with your surveillance phone (also known as ‘smart phone’) using regular bluetooth.\nNow your little radio transmitter board is a node in the Meshcore mesh network. It can send and receive messages to other Meshcore nodes. You control it with your phone, which allows you to type and send messages, as well as read the messages you’ve received.\nExperience so far # It’s with this Meshcore setup that we’ve been running a trial for the last two months. With a fair bit of success. At least some of us are now able to message each other reliably using the mesh network. We’ve tried out direct communication in remote areas too, and also this works well. And because messages ‘hop’ from device to device until they reach the recipient, we’ve been able to send and receive some messages even from other countries already1 (With Meshcore the maximum number of hops is 64. Just to give you an idea of how far that will get you, it takes me around 20 hops to reach Belgium these days.)\nIf you want to see for yourself, then you may want to use some of the tools we have used.\nGear used # There’s many ways you can get started with mesh communication using LoRa transmitters. I will here just list what worked for us. Almost all of us ended up with the following setup:\nBoard: LoRa transmitter. Heltec Mesh Node T114. The board comes with an antenna. Software: The Meshcore software is all open source and can be downloaded for free. Also the Meshcore phone app is free. And to make your companion portable (optional, but fun):\nCase: You may want to make or buy a case. Heltec sells one as an optional extra to house the T114. Battery: To make your node portable, you need a 3.7v Li Po or Li Ion battery. I got a 350 mAh battery, but you can find batteries that last longer. Setting up the device # Setting up the device was easier than I thought, and it took me no more than half an hour before I was up and running.\nWant some help with how to set up your board? Tomorrow we’ll release a video getting started tutorial on the Techwerkers youtube that takes you through all steps from unboxing to sending your first message.\nWhat’s worked well # With LoRa transmitters and Meshcore, members in the group have successfully sent and received direct messages, as well as messages in public and private channels. It worked both from home and also while hiking and roaming the streets. When we started, we discovered that there’s an entire community out there already. The number of people using Meshcore is growing, which means coverage is constantly improving. On the MeshCore node map you can check where people have set up Meshcore repeaters. In The Netherlands, coverage is already pretty good. The process of setting this up was fun and rewarding. I have learnt a lot about radio communication, signal strength, and the various conditions that help or frustrate radio messages travelling far. Limitations # Not all workers have been able to connect with all other workers. This is largely because repeater coverage isn’t everywhere guaranteed. This communication network is still vulnerable in various ways. Given the open nature of the network, there’s a risk of it becoming clogged by spam and bots. The limited radio bandwidth it operates on might leave it easy to jam and interfere with. However low-powered they are, the LoRa devices still need electricity. Making them entirely off-grid with a battery and solar panel requires some tinkering, and many in the group are still tweaking things to get that right yet. (You probably just need a larger solar panel.) Conclusion # Taking control of your communication infrastructure matters, both practically and politically. But having a backup system in place does require some preparation. So start thinking about the infrastructure you use to communicate with comrades already now! For the Techwerkers x Extinction Rebellion - Justice Now! pilot, using LoRa radio transmitters and Meshcore software promises to be a viable solution.\nIf you want to give decentralised communication using LoRa a try, there’s a growing mesh network out there that you can connect to. Also when the internet is down.\nThis guide is part of a LoRa mesh network communication pilot set up by Techwerkers in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion Netherlands - Justice Now!.\n","date":"21 January 2026","permalink":"/en/resources/intro-mesh-network-communication/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"What if the internet goes down? Introduction to LoRa mesh network communication with Meshcore"},{"content":"For this book club, bring along an short description of a workplace where workers are (wholly or partially) in control. Some possible discussion points:\nWhat form of control do workers have at this workplace? How did the workers come to have this sort of control? Is it new or was it there from the start? Anything you take from this example that other workers can learn from? All welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested in the topic :)\nJoin Techwerkers for the session link.\n","date":"20 January 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-01-20/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Book club: Workers in control!"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"19 January 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-01-19/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"How would you stay in touch if the Internet goes down? Can you set up your own long-distance communication network with comrades?\nThis session covers what mesh network communication is, why and when it\u0026rsquo;s useful, plus some pointers on how to get started.\nAll welcome, no experience required!\nLivestream # Is the Jitsi room full? Watch the livestream here or join on youtube.\nThursday 15 January\n19:00-20:00\nhttps://meet.jit.si/WhatIfTheInternetGoesDown\n","date":"15 January 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-01-15/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"What if the Internet goes down? Intro to mesh network communication"},{"content":"Get the latest from Techwerkers on tech \u0026amp; worker power in the Netherlands. Insights, guides, events for nerds, all directly in your inbox.\n","date":null,"permalink":"/en/newsletter/","section":"Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"Newsletter"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss Technofeudalismn by Yanis Varoufakis.\nAll welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"6 January 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-01-06/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Book club: Technofeudalism"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"5 January 2026","permalink":"/en/events/2026-01-05/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Get some fresh air on a ca. 10 km circular walk through the forest and dunes near Castricum. Suitable for all levels, breaks whenever you need them. Do wear comfy shoes :)\nMeet at Castricum station (look for a person with a Techwerkers flag)\n","date":"27 December 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-12-27/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers outdoors"},{"content":"What went well? Less well? What would you like to do more of, or do differently, with Tech workers going forward? Time for a retro. Join to get the link!\n","date":"22 December 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-12-22/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Retro 2025"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss You Deserve a Tech Union by Ethan Marcotte.\nAll welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"9 December 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-12-09/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Book club: You Deserve a Tech Union"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"8 December 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-12-08/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Is generative \u0026lsquo;AI\u0026rsquo; going to take your job? If you\u0026rsquo;d follow the hype, you\u0026rsquo;d almost think so. But it\u0026rsquo;s not that simple, tech worker Roza Kuiper explains in a new article for Jacobin.\nThere\u0026rsquo;s a huge gap between AI promises to deliver, and what it actually delivers. This tech is unlikely to take your job anytime soon.\nYet, that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean everything\u0026rsquo;s fine. As Kuiper writes:\nThe fact that a technology now exists that claims to be able to replace workers (even though it can\u0026rsquo;t) gives companies an excuse to put pressure on people\u0026rsquo;s working conditions.\nWhether it works or not, bosses and managers will try to use the cover of AI as an excuse to convert full-time jobs into precarious gig work. That means that as workers, you must stay alert.\nRead the full article (in Dutch).\n","date":"6 December 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/ai-werk/","section":"News","summary":"Tech worker Roza Kuiper explains how generative AI really threatens workers.","title":"New article: AI isn't taking your job. But it's still used to undermine job security"},{"content":"Tech workers operate a table at the Anarchist Book Fair Amsterdam 2025. Come pick up a zine, some AI sceptic stickers, and stick around for a workplace organizing chat.\n","date":"23 November 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-11-23/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers @ Anarchist Book Fair Amsterdam (day 2)"},{"content":"Tech workers operate a table at the Anarchist Book Fair Amsterdam 2025. Come pick up a zine, some AI sceptic stickers, and stick around for a workplace organizing chat.\n","date":"22 November 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-11-22/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers @ Anarchist Book Fair Amsterdam (day 1)"},{"content":"Since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, big-tech executives and the media have been touting the potential of AI for society to reach an unprecedented level of growth and productivity. They claim that the technology already has the ability to act like junior level employees, and will replace mid-level software engineers by the end of the year.\nAs a result, tech employers have shown an almost evangelical fervour in pushing workers to use AI in the name of increased efficiency. In 2025, tech executives and managers are clearly telling workers: using AI is no longer optional if you want to stay competitive.\nBut beneath the blind optimism, there’s a darker reality: the forced use of AI is already reshaping working conditions (and not for the better). While your boss may be focused on the alleged benefits of AI, here are some of the ways you and your coworkers may already be hurt by it:\n1. Your work gets undervalued # GenAI can only produce outputs. When your employer treats it as a substitute for your labor, they imply that your work is only valuable for what is visible: code shipped, designs produced, tickets closed, or documents written.\nBut as we all know, your output is supported by invisible effort. Every task involves interpreting requests based on context, drawing on past experiences and judgement, anticipating problems before they arise, and collaborating with others while accounting for their perspective and needs.\nSome of your labor does not produce a measurable output at all, but creates ripple effects that make everyone around you more effective, like mentoring a colleague, sharing insights, or contributing to a positive working culture.\nthere has not been conclusive evidence which shows that AI has delivered the promised productivity gains All of this cannot be replicated by AI. And this is reflected by research: there has not been conclusive evidence which shows that AI has delivered the promised productivity gains.\nBy treating your job as replaceable by a machine, your boss not only dehumanises you, but also erases the majority of your labor that makes you effective.\n2. Your scope of work is increasing (and burning you out) # The myth that AI increases productivity means that you are now expected to do more with less. You’re responsible for your usual work plus whatever AI allegedly enables you to do faster without additional time or support. On top of that, your job description now also includes training AI, fixing its mistakes, and managing automated workflows, which may actually slow you down (especially given the quality of AI slop).\nIn addition, as some roles are eliminated because they’re seen as \u0026lsquo;replaceable\u0026rsquo;, others are expected to pick up those tasks. Designers may find themselves writing copy. Product managers may be expected to code. This blurs role boundaries and creates confusion over who is actually responsible for what.\nThe combination of scope creep, unclear expectations, and added workload directly contributes to higher stress and potential burnout.\n3. You\u0026rsquo;re losing your autonomy # As your employer pushes widespread adoption of AI tools, your work increasingly needs to be consumable by these systems. Documents, code, designs, and communications must be structured, labeled, or formatted in ways that allow AI models to easily process them. This “datifying” of your work adds bureaucracy and changes how you do your job.\nSince executives are looking to justify their AI investment, they are likely pressuring you to use specific tools instead of allowing you to decide what works best for you. And they may be increasing surveillance to make sure you fall in line: companies such as Meta , Google and Microsoft have increased monitoring specifically to measure AI adoption, and demand for worker-tracking software has increased to justify AI costs.\nThese trends transform daily work into a series of inputs for systems that monitor and score you, all at the expense of your autonomy.\n4. You have little-to-no insight into decision-making # AI is increasingly being used to make decisions about hiring, promotions, and performance reviews. However, the inner workings of these systems are rarely understood by the people they impact, making it difficult to challenge errors or understand why certain conclusions were reached. At worst, managers may decide not to take accountability for these decisions, hiding behind the supposed objectivity of a \u0026lsquo;fair and unbiased\u0026rsquo; algorithm.\nIn some cases, companies have also used AI to justify confusing decisions. For example, Booking.com executives cited ‘remaining competitive in the new AI landscape’ as one reason in justifying the latest round of mass layoffs, despite the company reporting a record $5.9bn profits in 2024. AI becomes a convenient cover for actions that may otherwise appear arbitrary.\nWithout transparency, employees are left disempowered and unsure of how to navigate decisions that affect their careers.\nAI amplifies structural problems # At best, executives are using AI as a shortcut for addressing existing challenges in the workplace. Struggling with information silos? Add a company AI chatbot. Customer support complaints piling up? Deploy support bots. Don’t have the right skills in your workforce? Ask your workers to fill the gaps with AI tools.\nAI only amplifies the ongoing power struggle between employers and workers However, the truth is that it probably doesn’t matter how well these solutions perform. Today, AI is used as a blanket excuse for tech companies to legitimise practices they’ve already intended; underpaying workers, eroding worker protections, and conducting mass lay-offs.\nTechnology cannot replace ethical management. By worsening the foundational issues of overwork, underinvestment, and inequity, AI only amplifies the ongoing power struggle between employers and workers.\nAI can\u0026rsquo;t fix what\u0026rsquo;s broken, but workers can # While tech executives want you to believe this AI future is inevitable, you have the power to shape a different reality. Labor movements abroad in Amazon, Uber/Lyft, and Hollywood have successfully fought against algorithmic management practices, increased surveillance, and the use of GenAI to replace creative work.\nAs tech workers in the Netherlands, you have meaningful legal tools at your disposal to improve material conditions at work. As a start, you can explicitly add AI safeguards in your Collective Labor Agreements, or urge your works councils bring in employee perspectives when management is making decisions around AI adoption.\nThrough organised, collective action, you can ensure that technology serves workers, not the other way around.\n","date":"20 November 2025","permalink":"/en/resources/ai-is-hurting-you-at-work/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"AI is hurting you at work (but it doesn't have to)"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"10 November 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-11-10/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"27 October 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-10-27/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI! Readings to be confirmed.\nAll welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"14 October 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-10-14/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"13 October 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-10-13/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI! Readings to be confirmed.\nAll welcome, just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"7 October 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-10-07/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"People use generative AI for everything nowadays, whether at work, in education, or for personal advice. But how does this technology affect the working class at an individual and societal level?\nFrom workers managed by opaque algorithms to the threat of mass automation, you often don’t see the human cost. And as AI has become increasingly integrated into people\u0026rsquo;s lives, big tech companies have been pushing for deregulation, to crush competition, and to manage the technology with minimal transparency to maximize control and profits.\nJoin for a session with Will Denton from the Tech Workers Coalition, and Dwayne Monroe (marxist and veteran-IT worker) to discuss the other side of AI and how (if at all) you can use the technology to your advantage.\nMore info\n","date":"30 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-30/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Socialism \u0026 AI"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"29 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-29/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI!\nToday\u0026rsquo;s a brainstorm session to prepare an article about the (generally negative) impact of generative AI on labour conditions in the tech sector.\nAll welcome! Just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"23 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-23/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI!\nReading prep: pick one or more of chapter 2, 3 or 4 of Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report (but also just come along if you didn\u0026rsquo;t make it through the text)\nAll welcome! This is a new group so just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"16 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-16/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"15 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-15/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"1 September 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-09-01/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Come and hang out in the Westerpark with other tech workers! Happening on Friday 29 August, from 18.00 onwards. Meetup near statue De Parkwachter.\nMany people won’t know each other yet, so just drop by for a bit and say hi 🙂\nBring friends \u0026amp; coworkers!\n","date":"29 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-29/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers chill in the park"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI!\nReading prep: The Hater\u0026rsquo;s Guide To The AI Bubble (but also just come along if you didn\u0026rsquo;t make it through the entire text)\nAll welcome! This is a new group so just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"28 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-28/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Book Club"},{"content":"Organizing for power is a free, online training programme that helps you learn organizing methods and campaign strategies to win righteous justice in this world on fire. Since 2019, Organizing for Power has trained more than 45,000 people from 2,100+ organizations in 120 countries.\nSessions consist of a mixture of lectures, discussions, prep tasks, and some hands-on practice.\nMore background: https://bit.ly/O4P-Power-Up\nTraining is free and open to all.\nSchedule # Tue 18 Nov 2025, 18:00-20:00 CET Tue 20 Nov 2025, 18:00-20:00 CET Tue 02 Dec 2025, 18:00-20:00 CET Tue 04 Dec 2025, 18:00-20:00 CET Would you like to take part? Awesome! Fill out the following expression of interest form by 3 November 2025.\nNote: The training can only go through is there are sufficient expressions of interest. So bring along you coworkers!\n","date":"22 August 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/organizing-4-power-winter-2025-registration/","section":"News","summary":"Learn organizing methods and campaign strategies to win righteous justice in this world on fire.","title":"Register for Organizing for Power: Power Up! training (Fall 2025)"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI!\nReading prep: Chapter 1 of Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report (but also just come along if you didn\u0026rsquo;t make it through the entire text)\nAll welcome! This is a completely new group so just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"21 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-21/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"Recently, Picnic (the supermarket delivery company) has threatened to leave the Dutch market. The reason? A judge recently decided that Picnic (and fast delivery service Flink) are actually supermarkets, and not ecommerce/technology companies.\nBy classifying these companies as Supermarkets, they would be required to follow the Supermarket collective labour agreement (CAO). According to Picnic, this would increase their salary costs by 40%, which means that they could “no longer be competitive”. Read another way - If Picnic weren’t forced to be classified as a supermarket, then it can, at its own free will, pay its employees less than what they deserve.\nCollective labour agreements in The Netherlands can be powerful. When a collective agreement is declared generally binding (Algemeen verbinded verklaard), anyone that performs certain duties within a certain sector falls under that collective labour agreement. In this case, the warehouse workers and the delivery workers would benefit from Picnic being classified as a Supermarket.\nUntil recently, Picnic had classified itself as a technology or e-commerce company—even though it had been calling itself a “Supermarket on wheels”—just to get around paying its staff a fair salary.\nAll of this is to say “tech” companies are forever trying to find ways around the rules to pay their staff less. If Jumbo and Albert Heijn can do supermarket deliveries under the Supermarket CAO, then why couldn’t Picnic? Is it because tech companies are disrupting markets? Or is it because they just find ways to squeeze every last euro out of the people that provide the value?\n","date":"21 August 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/supermarkt-bezorgers-zijn-supermarkten/","section":"News","summary":"Picnic threatens to leave the Dutch market because of being forced to pay workers more.","title":"\"Disrupting the market”, but it’s just paying people less."},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"18 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-18/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands is a community of tech workers doing workplace organizing in order to take back worker power in The Netherlands. Founded in 2024, the group is a local chapter of Tech Workers Coalition, which has been active since 2017.\nFrom engineers and delivery drivers to content moderators, customer service agents, warehouse pickers, and video game artists\u0026mdash;anyone in a tech-adjacent role or workplace can join.\nJoin What can you do with Tech Workers Coalition? # With Tech Workers Coalition, you can find your community, grow your knowledge about tech and workers\u0026rsquo; rights, and build the skills to organize and take back worker power.\nCommunity # Tired of going at it alone? Same. You deserve a supportive community that has your back. Whether it\u0026rsquo;s in the office, the warehouse, or out on the street, only together with fellow workers can you make real change and win.\nKnowledge and skills # Things are changing ever-faster, especially in tech. What are your rights as a worker? Where can you get support? Tech Workers Coalition offers both core insights and hands-on resources for tech workers. Come join info sessions and trainings on topics that matter to you, and share your own knowledge with other tech workers.\nDisclaimer: Tech workers aren\u0026rsquo;t lawyers. That said, some law-nerds in the coalition do like to stay up-to-date with current Dutch labour law (or know who to call when it\u0026rsquo;s needed).\nWorker power # Do you know who\u0026rsquo;s on your works council? (Does your workplace even have a works council??) Tech Workers Coalition can help you get more done through your works council. Or you could start a workers\u0026rsquo; (labour) council, if that\u0026rsquo;s more your thing? Get together with other tech workers to organize and get the workplace changes you want.\nFAQ # Am I a tech worker? # If you\u0026rsquo;re reading this, then quite likely, yes! Anyone who works at a tech company, or in some tech-related role, is a tech worker.\nAre you operating a digibord in the classroom? Driving rides for Uber, or delivering meals with the Thuisbezorgd app? Serving coffee or cleaning rooms at the ASML offices? Doing web dev, software engineering, design, product, or IT support? Congrats, you\u0026rsquo;re a tech worker.\nTech Workers Coalition doesn\u0026rsquo;t care about your formal employment status. If you\u0026rsquo;re currently unemployed and not in waged labour, you\u0026rsquo;re still very much welcome to join.\nAre you a union? # No. You may have heard of big labour unions in the Netherlands, such as FNV or CNV. Maybe you\u0026rsquo;re even a member? Fine. Tech Workers Coalition is not like that. It\u0026rsquo;s not a union. Instead, it\u0026rsquo;s a peer-to-peer network that consists entirely of tech workers who support each other directly in winning the changes you want.\nJoin # Tired of being alone, undervalued at work? Join the movement! Come and say hi at one of the upcoming events, or join directly.\nJoin ","date":"15 August 2025","permalink":"/en/about/","section":"Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"About"},{"content":"Let\u0026rsquo;s discuss AI!\nReading prep: Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report (but also just come along if you didn\u0026rsquo;t make it through the entire text)\nAll welcome! This is a completely new group so just drop by if you\u0026rsquo;re interested.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition for the session link.\n","date":"7 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-07/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":" Do you worry you might get laid off? Here’s what you can do about it collectively - an online info session for Meta workers Join an online info session hosted by the Tech Workers Coalition, where you will learn about steps you can take right now as a collective to try and prevent the layoffs and protect your jobs.\nLearn how you and your coworkers can build stronger solidarity and organize for future collective actions to achieve your goals.\nThere will be time during the session to ask questions.\nThe session is open to all Meta workers in the Netherlands except bosses and leadership.\nAsk your coworkers at Meta for the session link or join Tech Workers Coalition.\nAbout Tech Workers Coalition # Guided by a vision for an inclusive \u0026amp; equitable tech industry, the Tech Workers Coalition organizes to build worker power through rank-and-file self-organization and education. The coalition consists of workers in and around the tech industry, labor organizers, community organizers, and friends. We work in solidarity with existing movements towards social justice, workers\u0026rsquo; rights, and economic inclusion in a democratically structured, all-volunteer, and worker-led organization. The Dutch chapter was started in 2024.\n","date":"5 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-05/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Meta layoffs info session"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"4 August 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-08-04/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"The Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands expresses its support for the drivers of Taxi Protest Amsterdam, who are going on strike on the evening of 2 August during the busy Canal Parade in the capital.\nDrivers working for the Uber and Bolt platforms are going on strike for 10 hours on Saturday night to demand:\nBetter pay And end to unfair competition A halt to American and Estonian tech platforms that are coming to Amsterdam to ruin the taxi sector The platform workers are also demanding mandatory professional qualifications for all drivers.\nCompanies such as Uber and Bolt have repeatedly demonstrated their disrespect for workers and Dutch labour law.\nFor years, the platform companies have wrongly tried to portray the drivers who work for them as \u0026lsquo;independent contractors\u0026rsquo;, instead of as the employees they truly are, in order to shirk their responsibilities as employers.\nAnd in 2020, Uber carried out mass layoffs at its Amsterdam headquarters without the legally required approval from the UWV. Workers were pressured and their work accounts were closed without notice.\nMoreover, the operating model of platforms like Uber and Bolt harms both drivers and passengers.\nThey enter a city. Billions in venture capital investments can keep them growing at a loss for years (sometimes aided by some illegal conduct), with the result that the local taxi sector and parts of public transport erode and crumble. At a certain point, a large part of the city and its local drivers have been made dependent on an app completely controlled by some tech company dictating all the rules.\nWhen Uber introduced dynamic pricing tactics in 2023, it led to both higher fares (detrimental to passengers) and lower incomes for workers. Only Uber itself saw its revenues grow, as researchers from Oxford University demonstrated in a recent report.\nEnough is enough.\nSupport the Taxi Protest Amsterdam!\n","date":"2 August 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/steun-taxiprotest-amsterdam/","section":"News","summary":"Tech workers express their support for the fight of taxi drivers in Amsterdam, who are striking today for better pay and working conditions.","title":"Tech workers in solidarity with Taxi Protest Amsterdam strike during Canal Parade"},{"content":"Tech workers are joining Pride March in Amsterdam on 26 July. Come and say hi!!\nOfficial info:\nRoute: Amstelveld, Utrechtsestraat, Reguliersdwarsstraat, Vijzelgracht, Weteringschans, Leidseplein, Vondelpark.\nGathering: 11am\nStart Pride March: 12:00pm\nLook out for Tech Worker flags :)\n","date":"26 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-26/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers @ Pride March"},{"content":"⚠️ Caution: Due to timezone scheduling this workshop takes place in the middle of the night ⚠️\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition in the first organizing skills workshop of the summer! You\u0026rsquo;ll be learning about and ✨ practicing ✨ structured organizing conversations.\nOrganizing conversations are a core skill for every tech worker, whether you want to form a union at your shop, or building community power against an incoming data center.\nCome attend this two-hour workshop where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn the parts of an organizing conversation, practice these conversations in small groups, and get to know other tech workers who are also learning alongside.\nRegister now\n","date":"25 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-25/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Workshop: How to hold an organizing conversation"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"21 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-21/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech workers aren\u0026rsquo;t always working. Time off work is among the core achievements of today\u0026rsquo;s labour rights!\nCome and join for a chill afternoon and evening in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam, near statue De Schreeuw. Look out for Tech Workers flags.\nPotluck style: Bring along a snack and something to drink if you can (but no worries if not!). There\u0026rsquo;ll likely be stickers, games, some zines, nice people to hang out with, maybe some music?\nFeel free to bring a coworker, friend, pet or partner. Just no bosses, managers, or strike breakers 🙂\n","date":"18 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-18/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Chill in the park"},{"content":"An info session about works councils. The session covers:\nWhat is a works council? How do works councils typically work? Why you should consider joining your works council How to prep your works council application Join the session on Youtube.\n","date":"9 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-09/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Join your works council! Info session"},{"content":"Postponed! A new date and time will be confirmed soon\nA reading and discussion group for tech workers who are sceptical of, or questioning, the role of AI in relation to tech labour.\nReading: Artificial Power: 2025 Landscape Report\nAll welcome! Feel free to join even if you didn\u0026rsquo;t make it through the entire text.\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition to get the session link.\n","date":"8 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-08/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Postponed: AI Sceptics Reading Group"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"7 July 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-07-07/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"23 June 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-06-23/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Would you like to learn more about the Tech Workers Coalition? Want to get more involved? Join the Tech Workers Coalition onboarding call on 17 June!\nThe onboarding call is a great chance to hear about tech worker projects, meet some cool people, and get plugged in\u0026mdash;whether you’re new or have been lurking, or simply want a refresher.\nRegister now\n","date":"17 June 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-06-17/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech Workers Coalition onboarding"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"9 June 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-06-09/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"An overview of current tech worker campaigns in the Netherlands. Want to get active in a campaign? Get involved.\n","date":null,"permalink":"/en/campaigns/","section":"Campaigns","summary":"","title":"Campaigns"},{"content":"Nothing changes at work until you make some noise. This confessional is for all the squeaky wheels who won\u0026rsquo;t be silent in the face of an unjust tech industry. If your boss said something that made your head spin, submit your \u0026ldquo;squeak\u0026rdquo; and we\u0026rsquo;ll post it anonymously on the Techwerkers Instagram page (@techwerkers). Why scream into the void when you can share your story with other tech workers?\nSample Squeaks # \u0026lsaquo; \u0026rsaquo; How it works # You submit a secret. A member of the tech workers team removes any public identifying information (PII) and rephrases the content, so no one can trace the submission back to you. Your submission gets posted 🎉 ","date":"9 June 2025","permalink":"/en/campaigns/squeakywheel/","section":"Campaigns","summary":"Nothing changes at work until you make some noise","title":"Squeaky Wheel"},{"content":"Today, workers at the Nederlandse spoorwegen (NS, Dutch railways) are going on strike. Why? They demand better pay and better working conditions\u0026mdash;just like working people everywhere deserve!\nTech workers express their solidarity with the railway workers\u0026rsquo; workplace action.\nTo gain:\nfair pay better support for heavy work equal working conditions in equal circumstances prio-days at home a \u0026lsquo;dirty work\u0026rsquo; arrangement (for working with dirty materials or in conditions of stench) They railway workers say:\nWorkers have negotiated for months, but the NS [= employer] is unwilling to meet our demands on several crucial points (\u0026hellip;). Going on strike is the only way in which workers can still exert pressure on the employer. Of course, strikes can be inconvenient for travellers. But travellers and workers share a joint interest in preventing and reversing deterioration of public transport.\nRead more about the action (in Dutch).\n","date":"6 June 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/steun-spoorwegwerkers/","section":"News","summary":"Tech workers express their solidarity with railway workers in the Netherlands, who are engaged in workplace action to get fair wages and better working conditions.","title":"Solidarity with railway workers"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"26 May 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-05-26/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"12 May 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-05-12/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"1 May is not a public holiday in The Netherlands. Yet that didn\u0026rsquo;t stop a number of collaborators from Tech Workers Coalition showing up at the FNV Union\u0026rsquo;s Labour Day manifestation in Amsterdam. The event started at Museumplein at 1pm, where flags were flown and tech workers showed up to support the day. Around 9000 people strong, the crowd then walked at 2pm from Museumplein to Martin Luther Kingpark, arriving at 4pm. FNV had additional festivities which tech workers attended.\nThis was a nice event to meet up at, and was a first time for a number of tech workers to meet on site after collaborating online almost every 2 weeks over the last year. Yes, tech workers are indeed humans!\nThe tech workers were prepared \u0026mdash; ready with custom flags, a DIY banner, stickers, and flyers to promote the Tech Workers for Palestine campaign. The banner asked people what they wanted to change on their work floor. \u0026lsquo;No more work!\u0026rsquo;, one person shouted passing by \u0026mdash; which is a totally valid response when it comes to wage labour. Above all, the prompt was great at starting conversations with fellow tech workers. Some of the conversations touched on what people would like to change not only at work, but also in the tech industry more broadly. It was clear that our mission has purpose, and that tech workers need to be equipped with education, training, and community support so that people in tech (is that you?) can organize in their workplace, and take back power.\nFor the future, there were some practical lessons too:\nBring water. 3 hours in Amsterdam sun and walking needs some thirst quenching Wear sunblock, even though it\u0026rsquo;s not summer yet Start conversations, ask questions, be open, be curious, gain momentum, move forward Let\u0026rsquo;s double the number of tech workers in attendance next year!\n","date":"8 May 2025","permalink":"/en/posts/dag-van-de-arbeid-looptocht-1-mei-2025/","section":"News","summary":"Tech workers represent in person at the Labour Day walk in Amsterdam.","title":"Labour day walk - 1 May 2025"},{"content":"Tech workers are celebrating Labour Day! This event is organized by the labour union FNV. Programme:\nTime What 14:00 Start of parade from Museumplein, Amsterdam 16:00 Celebrations at Martin Luther Kingpark, Amsterdam 19:00 End ","date":"1 May 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-05-01/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Labour day"},{"content":" Are you afraid you’re going to be laid off? Here’s what you can do about it collectively - An online info session for Booking.com workers Join us for an online info session hosted by the Tech Workers Coalition (NL Chapter), where you will learn about steps you can take right now as a collective to try and prevent the layoffs and protect your jobs.\nLearn how you and your coworkers can build stronger solidarity and organize for future collective actions to achieve your goals. There will be time during the session to ask questions.\nSession Times # Join one of the following sessions (the content is the same):\nWednesday, April 23rd: 19:00 - 20:00 Friday, April 25th: 13:00 - 14:00 The session is open to all and will be hosted on Google Meet. You\u0026rsquo;re welcome to join from an incognito window with a pseudonym, and to leave your camera and audio off.\nFill in your email in the below form to receive the link to the session. Your email will only be used for receiving the invite.\nAbout Tech Workers Coalition # Guided by a vision for an inclusive \u0026amp; equitable tech industry, the Tech Workers Coalition organizes to build worker power through rank-and-file self-organization and education. The coalition consists of workers in and around the tech industry, labor organizers, community organizers, and friends. We work in solidarity with existing movements towards social justice, workers\u0026rsquo; rights, and economic inclusion in a democratically structured, all-volunteer, and worker-led organization. The Dutch chapter was started in 2024.\n","date":"25 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-25/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Booking.com layoffs info session #2"},{"content":" Are you afraid you’re going to be laid off? Here’s what you can do about it collectively - An online info session for Booking.com workers Join us for an online info session hosted by the Tech Workers Coalition (NL Chapter), where you will learn about steps you can take right now as a collective to try and prevent the layoffs and protect your jobs.\nLearn how you and your coworkers can build stronger solidarity and organize for future collective actions to achieve your goals. There will be time during the session to ask questions.\nSession Times # Join one of the following sessions (the content is the same):\nWednesday, April 23rd: 19:00 - 20:00 Friday, April 25th: 13:00 - 14:00 The session is open to all and will be hosted on Google Meet. You\u0026rsquo;re welcome to join from an incognito window with a pseudonym, and to leave your camera and audio off.\nFill in your email in the below form to receive the link to the session. Your email will only be used for receiving the invite.\nAbout Tech Workers Coalition # Guided by a vision for an inclusive \u0026amp; equitable tech industry, the Tech Workers Coalition organizes to build worker power through rank-and-file self-organization and education. The coalition consists of workers in and around the tech industry, labor organizers, community organizers, and friends. We work in solidarity with existing movements towards social justice, workers\u0026rsquo; rights, and economic inclusion in a democratically structured, all-volunteer, and worker-led organization. The Dutch chapter was started in 2024.\n","date":"23 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-23/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Booking.com layoffs info session #1"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"21 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-21/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"💡 This guide has been created by a tech worker with extensive experience negotiating collective redundancies at companies with a Dutch works council.\nDisclaimer: This document is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal guidance or to address individual cases, please consult a qualified legal professional.\nWhat are collective redundancies in the Netherlands? # In the Netherlands, labour law provides strong protections for employees during collective redundancies (collectief ontslag). The Dutch Civil Code and the Collective Redundancy (Notification) Act govern the process.\nKey points:\nA collective redundancy occurs if 20+ employees are dismissed within 3 months. The employer must notify the works council and the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) in advance. A mandatory consultation period must occur before layoffs are finalized. Employees are entitled to fair severance and proper procedural treatment. Role of the works council # The works council (ondernemingsraad) is a legally mandated body in companies with at least 50 employees. Its primary function is to represent the interests of both the business and the employees by ensuring their rights are respected in situations such as restructuring, layoffs, and collective redundancy. The works council has specific rights during these processes, and while it does not have the power to halt redundancies directly, its consultation and advisory rights can significantly influence outcomes.\nRights of the works council # In the absence of a union, the works council takes on an enhanced role in protecting the rights of employees, especially during difficult times like collective redundancy. Through its rights to information, consultation, consent, and legal recourse, the works council can ensure that redundancies are handled fairly and transparently, with proper attention to employees\u0026rsquo; rights and welfare.\n1. Right to information (Informatierecht) # One of the primary rights of the works council is to receive timely and accurate information from the employer. This is crucial in helping the Council understand the company’s situation and the necessity for decisions like redundancy.\nEmployer’s obligation: Before any decision can be made on matters like restructuring, collective redundancy, or significant changes to working conditions, the employer must provide the works council with detailed information. This includes:\nThe reasons for the redundancies (financial or operational causes). The number and categories of employees likely to be affected. The selection criteria for determining who will be made redundant. The timeline for the redundancies. Any measures to reduce the impact on employees, such as redeployment or retraining programs. The works council has the right to demand further clarification or additional information if it feels the provided data is insufficient or unclear.\n2. Right to consultation (Adviesrecht) # The works council has a formal right to be consulted on major decisions that affect employees, including collective redundancy. This is not just an opportunity for dialogue—it’s a legal requirement.\nMandatory consultation: Before the employer can implement a decision like collective dismissal, they must consult the works council. The employer cannot finalize or enforce the decision without first allowing the Council to provide its advice. This process includes:\nDiscussing alternatives: The works council can propose alternatives to redundancy, such as reducing working hours, redeploying staff to other roles, or voluntary severance. Impact assessment: The works council can evaluate the potential social and economic consequences of the redundancies on employees and provide suggestions to mitigate these effects. While the works council cannot stop redundancies outright, the employer is legally required to take its advice seriously. If the works council opposes the decision or believes the process is unfair, it has legal recourse.\n3. Right to delay (Opschortingsrecht) # If the works council believes that the employer’s decision is premature, lacks proper justification, or is being rushed, it can request a delay.\nDelay via the enterprise chamber (Ondernemingskamer): If the employer disregards the works council’s advice or proceeds without proper consultation, the works council has the right to file a petition with the Enterprise chamber (Ondernemingskamer) of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. This court handles disputes between the works council and the employer. The Council can request that the court delay the decision to allow for further consultation or evaluation of the redundancy plan.\nThe Enterprise Chamber can:\nSuspend the employer\u0026rsquo;s decision. Annul the employer’s decision if it finds that the works council’s rights were violated. Require further consultation between the employer and the works council. 4. Right to consent (Instemmingsrecht) # While the right to consent is not applicable directly to redundancies, the works council holds a right to consent for significant changes to working conditions, employee policies, and employment benefits. If collective redundancy leads to changes in these areas, the employer must obtain the works council\u0026rsquo;s approval.\nFor example, the works council has the right to approve or reject changes to:\nWorkplace regulations Working hours or shift schedules Training and retraining policies Pension schemes or employee benefits If the works council does not give its consent, the employer can appeal to the court, but the court must consider the works council’s objections carefully.\n5. Right to social plan consultation (Sociaal plan) # 💡 The works council’s involvement ensures that employee interests are considered when crafting the social plan, and it can negotiate for better terms, especially when no union is present.\nA social plan is an agreement between the employer and employees (or their representatives) outlining how redundancies will be handled and how employees will be supported. Although unions typically negotiate social plans, the works council can also play a key role in establishing a social plan during collective redundancy.\nA social plan usually covers important aspects such as:\nSeverance packages beyond statutory requirements. Retraining or redeployment options. Support for finding new employment (such as outplacement services). Compensation for employees nearing retirement. 6. Right to Initiate Investigations (Initiatiefrecht) # In addition to responding to employer-initiated proposals, the works council has the right to take the initiative and make proposals on its own, including during times of restructuring or redundancy.\nProposing alternatives: The works council can propose measures that may help reduce the impact of collective redundancy, such as:\nIntroducing flexible working arrangements or reducing working hours. Offering early retirement packages to certain employees. Proposing internal job transfers or offering retraining to equip employees for different roles within the company. This proactive role allows the works council to influence company policy and protect employees’ jobs to the fullest extent possible.\n7. Protection against retaliation # It’s important to note that members of the works council are legally protected against dismissal as a result of their involvement in Council activities.\nLegal safeguards: Council members cannot be dismissed, disadvantaged, or discriminated against due to their activities on behalf of the works council. This ensures that they can perform their duties without fear of retaliation, even during times of restructuring or redundancy.\n8. Right to legal counsel # The works council has the right to seek legal counsel to assist in its functions and to navigate complex legal matters related to collective redundancy. This ensures that the Council can effectively fulfill its advisory and consultative roles, and adequately protect the interests of employees.\n9. Role in communication and support for employees # Without a union, the works council often becomes the primary source of information and support for employees. It:\nInforms employees about their legal rights and the redundancy process. Acts as a liaison between the employer and the workforce, promoting transparency. Provides emotional and practical support to employees affected by redundancy. The works council can hold information sessions or distribute materials that clarify employee rights, severance packages, and the timeline for redundancies, helping employees navigate the process.\nThe process of a collective redundancy Request for Advice (RFA) # 1. The Entrepreneur (representative of the company) submits an official Request for Advice to the works council # This document outlines the employer’s intention to implement collective redundancies, including the reasons behind the decision, the number of employees involved, and the potential consequences for the workforce.\n2. The Entrepreneur holds a consultation meeting with the works council to present the Request for Advice # The employer is required to meet with the works council to explain the Request for Advice in detail. This meeting provides an opportunity for the works council to ask questions, seek clarifications, and begin the consultation process.\n3. The works council reviews the Request for Advice # The works council will analyze the Request for Advice and the information provided by the employer. This includes assessing the necessity of the redundancies, the justifications provided, the criteria for selecting employees for redundancy, and the potential impact on the remaining workforce.\nThe works council may request additional data or documents from the employer to fully understand the situation, such as financial statements, alternative solutions considered, and any proposed social plan or mitigation measures.\n4. Consultation period begins # During the consultation period, the works council and the employer will engage in discussions aimed at exploring alternatives to redundancy. The works council may suggest measures to prevent or reduce the number of dismissals, such as retraining employees, offering voluntary severance, or internal transfers.\nBoth parties discuss the selection criteria for employees at risk of redundancy and any compensatory measures, such as a social plan that addresses severance, redeployment, or training.\n5. The works council issues formal advice # After reviewing the information and conducting consultations, the works council will provide its formal advice to the employer in writing.\nIf the works council agrees with the employer’s plan, it may recommend proceeding with the redundancy, possibly with adjustments or conditions. If the works council opposes the plan, it can propose alternatives or issue a negative advice, recommending changes or suggesting different actions. 6. Employer’s response to the advice # The employer must consider the works council\u0026rsquo;s advice carefully. If the advice is not followed, the employer must explain why it chose to deviate from the works council’s recommendations. In cases where the works council disagrees, the employer must wait at least one month after providing its decision to allow for further discussions or potential legal action.\n7. Possibility of legal recourse # If the works council believes that its advice was not properly considered, or if it disagrees with the employer’s final decision, it has the right to appeal to the Enterprise Chamber (Ondernemingskamer) within one month of the decision. The Enterprise Chamber can review the employer’s actions, and if the works council’s objections are valid, the court may halt the redundancy or require further consultation.\n8. Implementation of the redundancy plan # After the consultation process is complete and all legal requirements are fulfilled, the employer may proceed with implementing the redundancy plan. Employees will be informed of their redundancy status, severance packages, and any support measures, such as outplacement services or retraining opportunities.\n🗓️ A note on timeline # 💡 Depending on the complexity of the Request for Advice it can take from weeks to months for the process to be complete.\nThere is no set timeline or maximum duration for the collective redundancy process in Dutch law. The length of the process can vary significantly on several factors, including:\nThe complexity of the redundancy plan The scale of the layoffs The time required for the works council to thoroughly review the Request for Advice (RFA) The duration of the consultation between the employer and the works council Potential legal challenges or appeals by the works council Both parties are encouraged to proceed in a timely manner, but the process must be thorough to ensure all legal obligations are met, and that the interests of the employees and the company are carefully considered.\nYour legal rights during collective redundancy # 1. Right to notification and consultation # Collective Redundancy (Notification) Act: Employers must notify the UWV and inform the works council. They are also required to consult with employees or their representatives regarding the dismissals (such as works councils or unions). The consultation process gives employees (via works council or unions) a chance to offer input or alternative suggestions, such as redeployment or voluntary severance packages. 2. Protection from unfair dismissal # Dutch labour law requires that the dismissals be conducted fairly. This means:\nSelection criteria: In the Netherlands, the Proportionality Principle (Afspiegelingsbeginsel) is the key method used for selecting employees for redundancy. It ensures that the selection is made fairly by distributing dismissals proportionally across different age groups and functions. The goal is to maintain a balanced workforce.\nThe employer must divide the workforce into five age categories:\n15-24 years 25-34 years 35-44 years 45-54 years 55+ years Within each category, the \u0026ldquo;Last-In, First-Out\u0026rdquo; principle applies, meaning the most recently hired employees are laid off first, but dismissals must be spread evenly across the age groups to avoid disproportionately affecting any one group. Exceptions may apply (like essential skills).\nSocial plan: In some cases, companies may create a social plan in consultation with the works council to determine additional compensations or measures (e.g., retraining, redeployment).\n3. Transition payment # Under Dutch law, transition payment (transitievergoeding) is the base legal right for employees who are made redundant. This is the minimum compensation that must be provided as part of any separation package.\nIn most cases, employees are entitled to transition payment:\nEmployees who have worked for more than 2 years are entitled to transition payment. The transition payment amount is calculated based on length of service and salary (approximately 1/3rd of the monthly salary per year of service). There are exceptions for employees who are at the statutory retirement age. In many cases, the overall separation packages go beyond this minimum, and can include additional compensation or benefits negotiated through a social plan or other arrangements. Separation packages are not restricted by a minimum of 2 years\u0026rsquo; tenure and can apply to employees with shorter service periods.\n4. Support from the UWV # If you are made redundant, you can apply for unemployment benefits through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV):\nUnemployent benefits (WW-uitkering): This unemployment benefit is based on your work history and salary. You must register with the UWV and actively seek new employment to receive these benefits. 5. Right to challenge a dismissal # Employees have the right to challenge their dismissal if they believe it was unfair or not properly handled. This can be done by:\nSeeking legal counsel: Consulting an employment lawyer to evaluate the legality of the dismissal and explore options. Filing a claim: Employees can file a claim with the Dutch court (kantonrechter) to contest the dismissal. The court can order reinstatement or compensation if the dismissal is found to be unjust. Sources for Dutch labour laws and works council acts # Government websites # Official Dutch government site with information on employment laws, redundancy, and works council rights.\nCollectief ontslag - Rijksoverheid (NL) Collective redundancies - Business.gov.nl (EN) Works council or staff representation - Business.gov.nl (EN) Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) # The Employee Insurance Agency handles unemployment benefits and collective redundancy processes.\nUWV - Ontslag (NL) UWV - Werkloos (NL) UWV - Dismissal (EN) SER (Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands) # Provides resources on the role of works councils and employment laws.\nSER - Role of works council (NL) Dutch Law Institute (dutch-law.com) # Offers practical guides to Dutch employment laws and collective redundancies.\nDutch Law Institute - Collective redundancy (EN) ","date":"21 April 2025","permalink":"/en/resources/collective-redundancies/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"Collective redundancies in The Netherlands with a Dutch works council"},{"content":"Would you like to learn more about the Tech Workers Coalition? Want to get more involved? Join the Tech Workers Coalition onboarding call on 15 April!\nThe onboarding call is a great chance to hear about tech worker projects, meet some cool people, and get plugged in\u0026mdash;whether you’re new or have been lurking, or simply want a refresher.\nYou can choose from two slots:\n15 April, 17:00 CEST - Register 16 April, 02:00 CEST - Register ","date":"15 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-15/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech Workers Coalition onboarding"},{"content":"Palestinian labour unions have called on workers worldwide to join the Palestinian struggle for liberation. Do you work in a tech role, or at a tech company? And do you want to take action to support the liberation of Palestine? You\u0026rsquo;re not alone!\nGet involved What can you do as a tech worker? # There\u0026rsquo;s a bunch of things you can do as a tech worker to support the fight for the liberation of Palestine:\nTake individual action. Keep talking about Palestine at work, with friends and family, and online. Boycott products and services from companies that support the occupation. Take direct action. Refuse to do or build things that undermine the rights and freedoms of people in Palestine. Organize your workplace. As a tech worker, you\u0026rsquo;re most powerful when you and your coworkers organize together at your workplace. Want some help getting started? Tech workers coalition is happy to support! Get active in existing movements or campaigns. Check out the existing initiatives for an overview of some movements in and outside the Netherlands that you can join. Got another idea? Want to collaborate to make it happen? Get in touch!\nWhy does tech matter? # The Israeli occupation of Palestine needs technology, in at least two ways:\nOperational: The occupation uses tech for its operations. This includes tech used directly in genocide and apartheid, such as the cloud computing infrastructure that Google and Amazon provide to the Israeli military as part of Project Nimbus, or facial recognition tools used to surveill and then murder Palestinians. It also includes everyday tech, from personal electronics to platforms to book accommodation in occupied Palestinian land. Exports: Tech massively contributes to the Israeli economy — and hence its potential survival. In 2023, tech made up 53% of Israeli exports (73.5 billion US dollars). That\u0026rsquo;s how the occupation relies on tech. As a tech worker, you and your coworkers can take steps to make sure that your workplace:\nDoesn\u0026rsquo;t provide goods or services to Israel. The fewer companies provide goods or services to the occupation and its businesses, the more the occupation — at least in the short term — is hampered in its operations. Doesn\u0026rsquo;t purchase goods or services from Israel. The more organizations avoid Israeli tech, the more it\u0026rsquo;ll hurt its exports. Israel is already experiencing a brain drain and is turning into a #ShutDownNation. Any bit of additional pressure helps.\nHow are tech workers powerful? # You might think: \u0026lsquo;Who am I? What can I do? I don\u0026rsquo;t control which customers my company takes on, or who we buy things from\u0026hellip;\u0026rsquo; And you might very well be right! But you\u0026rsquo;ve got options.\nFirst off, there\u0026rsquo;s a bunch of things you can already do on your own, right now.\nFurther, as a tech worker, you stand strongest when you join forces with your coworkers. Why? Because employers need your work. Companies can\u0026rsquo;t make a profit without you and your coworkers\u0026rsquo; labour. Bosses, managers, and shareholders don\u0026rsquo;t produce anything themselves. Workers do that. You and your coworkers do that. Owners and investors only extract from the value that you and your coworkers produce with your work. This is where the potential power of tech workers lies.\nIf your workplace stays disorganized, you\u0026rsquo;re vulnerable. The boss will try to pit you against one another. And then you\u0026rsquo;re all on your own, you\u0026rsquo;ve got no power to demand anything, and everyone\u0026rsquo;s worse off. Don\u0026rsquo;t let that happen!\nBut if you and a majority of your coworkers organize together, you\u0026rsquo;re powerful. Then you have the power to determine what happens at your workplace—because together you could, ultimately, shut down all operations if you don\u0026rsquo;t get what you demand.\nIf you\u0026rsquo;re organized, you can demand higher wages or flexible working hours. And you can refuse to do certain work, or refuse to take on customers or suppliers with ties to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.\nThat\u0026rsquo;s how tech workers are powerful.\nExisting initiatives # Here\u0026rsquo;s an overview of some existing initiatives that work to support the liberation of Palestine, both in the Netherlands and globally.\nOrganization Focus BDS Nederland Foundation that works to end the occupation of Palestine, get Palestinians\u0026rsquo; rights recognized, and Palestinians\u0026rsquo; right of return to their land respected. Nederlands Palestina Komitee Action group that aim to strenghten solidarity in the Netherlands with the Palestinian people. No Azure for Apartheid Worker-led movement at Microsoft to demand that the company end its complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide. No Tech for Apartheid Worker-led campaign of Google and Amazon workers organizing against the companies\u0026rsquo; $1B Project Nimbus cloud computing contract with the Israeli government and military. Palestine Action Direct action against Israel’s arms trade. Tech Divestment Network Worker-led network of organizations who advocate for divestment from the military-industrial complex in and around the tech industry. Tech for Palestine Coalition of thousands of founders, engineers, product marketers, investors and other professionals who are working in support of Palestinian liberation. Vakbond solidair met Palestina Trade union members, including those from the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV), calling for solidarity with Palestine and the Palestinian people. Resources # Here are some resources with ideas and information that could help you support the liberation of Palestine.\n","date":"15 April 2025","permalink":"/en/campaigns/palestine/","section":"Campaigns","summary":"Tech workers in the Netherlands take action to support the liberation of Palestine.","title":"Tech workers for Palestine"},{"content":"Tech worker comrades in Berlin are organizing a conference, and you\u0026rsquo;re invited!\nRegister now Conference information # Berlin Tech Workers Coalition will host the largest English speaking, tech worker-led conference in Germany, together with the trade unions ver.di B+B and IG Metall Berlin.\nThe event on Friday 11 April 2025 is open to all works council members (registration required). As a Works Council training per the German BetrVG 37(6), you might be able to do this training during working hours, and the conference fee could be paid by your employer.\nSchedule # Time Panel 09:00 ☕️ Morning Check in 09:30 Introduction and Welcome 10:00 Parallel roundtables on current workplace issues, identification of common issues, exchange of experiences, best practices 12:00 🥙 Lunch break (vegetarian/vegan food) 13:00 Workshop 1: Are “Performance Improvement Plans” (PiPs) even a thing in Germany? What are the employment law regulations and what is the role of the Works Council? 13:00 Workshop 2: Unions and works councils, what’s the difference? Legal framework for collaboration, union rights of works council members 13:00 Workshop 3: ESOPs, VSOPs and the role of the woco: What to do with employer offers stock options? 14:30 ☕️ Coffee break 15:00 Workshop 4: Return to Office and the Works Council: Works agreements on mobile work, Recent developments in jurisdiction 15:00 Workshop 5: The works council’s role in workplace downsizing scenarios (mass layoffs)n 15:00 Workshop 6: Codetermination on remuneration: What are the woco’s rights and what differences are there between the unions’ collective agreements and works agreements? 16:30 ☕️ Coffee break 17:00 Closing panel on workplace discrimination,the Gender Pay Gap and workers’ counter strategies 18:30 Reflection phase, next steps, end of conference 19:30 Get together 🕺🪩 Do you have any questions? Email the conference organizers: conference@techworkersberlin.com.\n","date":"11 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-11/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Tech workers conference Berlin"},{"content":"Have you ever wondered how capitalism influences technological developments? What is the meaning of digital colonialism? What is the role of workers in the modern tech industry, and how we can unite and fight for liberation in the digital age?\nJoin us on the 8th of April at 17:30 for an educational event ‘Shaping radical technologies’! We will highlight the problems of tech under capitalism from a marxist perspective and motivate each other to repurpose tech for revolutionary struggles! There\u0026rsquo;ll be presentations from Radical Data and the Tech Workers Coalition! The presentations will further elaborate on the links between AI, the value and future of labour, and offer a critical yet proactive approach to embedding alternative values in technology.\nAfter the presentations we will have a discussion part, where everybody is welcome to share their critiques, hopes, and ideas surrounding radical technologies. No background knowledge required!\nAll the field-specific concepts will be introduced in an accessible way.\nWhere? VU StudentenD0k, de Boelelaan 1105\nWhen? Tuesday 8th of April, 17:30-20:00\nSee you there!\n","date":"8 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-08/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Shaping radical technologies"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; fortnightly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"7 April 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-04-07/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This session is part of a series. Registration for the full training closes 26 January 2025.\n","date":"20 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-20/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #6"},{"content":" Disclaimer: This document deals with legal issues and is intended to provide an informational resource only. Tech Workers Coalition doesn't in any way provide legal advice, so don't rely on this document as though it would constitute legal advice. About # This resource provides an overview of Dutch Labour Law, and the protections the law provides with respect to various situations employees may face, or actions taken by employees.[1] It broadly covers different cases of work contracts and situations.\nThe information contained in this resource was prepaped by a Dutch labour lawyer at the request of workers at a major tech company in the Netherlands. It\u0026rsquo;s shared here in modified form with permission, with identifying information removed.\nLegal protections for employees # 1. Permanent contract holders # Employees with permanent contracts in the Netherlands have strong protections under Dutch labour law. Even in cases of legal disputes, it can be difficult for the employer to fire employees unless reasonable grounds are established. Immediate dismissal may not apply if an employee maintains communication and the situation is not aggravated by repeated actions. Also important is that the employee indicates (preferably in writing) that they are available and willing to work. 2. Temporary contract holders # Employees on temporary contracts are more vulnerable, especially if their contracts are not extended. The employer may argue that contract extensions are not possible due to hiring freezes or economic reasons. If an employer decides not to extend the contract than that needs to be communicated one month in advance (depending on the contract, this is when you have a contract of six months or longer). The employer does not need to give a reason. You are entitled to a transition compensation and (if you are entitled to it) to unemployment benefit. In case you are sick and your contract is not prolonged you can apply for sickness benefit at UWV (Dutch social security agency). 3. International employees # International employees may face additional vulnerability if their work permits are linked to their employment. Losing a job can lead to complications with work permits and residency. 4. Dutch citizens # Dutch employees may have more job opportunities but still face potential dismissal depending on the nature of their role and actions. Types of dismissal # 1. Immediate dismissal # Occurs when something severe happens (e.g., theft, violence, property damage). Examples include stealing money, violent behaviour, or actions that cause significant damage to property or people. It is also applicable when employees engage in illegal actions, provide false testimonies, or grossly fail in their duties. Grounds for immediate dismissal # Providing false testimonies from previous employers. Incompetence in performing work. Being drunk at work, theft, or insulting the employer or colleagues. Engaging in illegal activities or gross misconduct. 2. Normal dismissal # Happens on reasonable grounds, such as sickness, economic issues, or employee behaviour that disturbs labour conditions. If an employee’s behaviour makes it unreasonable for the employer to continue the working relationship, it may be grounds for dismissal. Types of employee actions and risks # If an employee engages in continuous provocative actions, such as public protests or demonstrations against the company’s policies, this may escalate into a reason for dismissal. A reason could be disturbed working relations, so reasonably the employer cannot continue the working relation.\nRepeated actions after warnings can lead to the employer moving forward with contract termination. Contract termination of temporary contracts is only possible if there is a clause in the contract.\n1. Internal vs external actions # Actions taken within the company building or directed toward internal employees are treated differently than actions targeting the wider public. It also depends on whether the employer is specifically mentioned or targeted in the action or that the employee participates in an anti-war protest outside the company. Employers may need to provide warnings before dismissal, but legal protections exist for employees engaging in reasonable actions, such as peaceful protests. 2. Can I refuse to perform certain tasks with an appeal to conscientious objection? # If you refuse to perform certain tasks with an appeal to conscientious objection the employer needs to take your concerns into account.\nAn ‘urgent serious conscientious objection’ can be an exception to perform (parts of your) work. This can be due to religious considerations or known and acknowledged ethical or political motives. For example, the printing of papers with a sexual content, construction of motorways through nature areas, working with natural fur, a civil servant who does not wish to cooperate in a marriage of people from the LGBTIQA+ community.\nAn employer can and should deal with this in a respectable way. For example, by giving the employee other tasks. If this is not possible, then the employer might consider re-location within the company, possibly with additional schooling. If this is not possible, then as a final solution the employee can be fired or must resign, or a settlement agreement is negotiated.\nIt has to be clear to the employer that you refuse to do the work due to conscientious objections. You can proactively communicate this to the employer, and state which tasks you are not able to do.\nThere are by law two ways in which the employer can fire you in this hypothetical occasion:\na. Immediate dismissal # Based on article 678, under 2 item j. in book 7 of the Dutch civil code can persistent refusal of work give an urgent reason for dismissal (immediate dismissal).[2] If you are dismissed on this ground, you are immediately without work and also the UWV will most likely decide not to give you unemployment benefit. You need to go to court within 2 months to fight this dismissal. b. Dismissal # On the basis of article 7:699 paragraph 3 the grounds for dismissal are listed.[3] Under article 669, under 3, item f says the following (cited together with lemma 1, for context):\n1. The employer may terminate the employment contract if there are reasonable grounds for doing so and redeployment of the employee within a reasonable period, with or without training, in another suitable position is not possible or not reasonable.\n(\u0026hellip;)\n3. Reasonable grounds as referred to in paragraph 1 are understood to mean: (\u0026hellip;) f. the employee\u0026rsquo;s refusal to perform the agreed work due to a serious conscientious objection, provided that it is plausible that the agreed work cannot be performed in an adapted form;\nIn this scenario the employer needs to ask permission to the judge to terminate the contract, so this will take longer. You are employed during the procedure and you can apply for unemployment benefit, if you are entitled to do that.\n3. Can I strike when I don’t agree with the activities of my employer because of conscientious objection? # The right to strike is not written in Dutch labour law. It is based on the European Social Charter from the Council of Europe. It is only possible to restrict the right to strike if this is urgently necessary, for example because of public safety or protecting the rights of others, or based on national security or public health.\nOur Dutch Supreme Court has ruled in 2015 that it is no longer needed that a strike needs to be announced and it doesn’t have to be a means of last resort. The admissibility of a strike depends on:\nThe nature of the action The relationship between the action and the goal The damage to the interests of the employer or third parties The effect on vulnerable people, like patients, old age people, young people and handicapped persons. 4. Can I denounce my employer publicly or with other colleagues because of immoral activities based on conscientious objection? # Freedom of speech is laid down in article 7 of our constitution and also in article 10 of the ECHR. As an employee you are allowed to criticize your employer, as happens in the NL regularly, for example from civil servants who are holding a sit-in each week to ask for a ceasefire in Palestine.\nThe limits are that an employee should not harm the interests of the employer. If an employee communicates insults and discriminatory messages about the employer or colleagues this is different of course. Important to note here is that the employer needs to ensure a safe position for all its employees.\nAn employer can also have guidelines regarding social media policies. In that it can state that IT-systems, mails, social media etc cannot be used in a way which is unethical or illegal. It is important that the communication is decent, it also depends on if is clear that the employee works for the employer.\nAlso important are the motives of the employee. Are they motivated by public interest, company interest, or personal interest? It is easier for an employer to restrict statements by an employee if they are clearly motivated by revenge, for example.\nAn employer needs to give a warning first. I think it is difficult for an employer to dismiss an employee with immediate effect based on an employee\u0026rsquo;s communications. Finally, It is also important to take into account what kind of employer it is. If this is a local bakery it is seen differently than if the employer is a large governmental institution.\n5. Engagement with unions # Joining a union can offer support in legal cases, depending on the quality and availability of union representation. Employer actions and company policies # 1. Firing employees # Employers must provide a notification if they intend to dismiss an employee, and the employee has the right to protest against the dismissal within two months. Dismissal may still occur if labour conditions have deteriorated to the point where reinstating the employee would be unreasonable. 2. Changes to company policies # Companies may update codes of conduct or internal policies to address ongoing actions and prevent further disruptions. Employers may remove internal posts or communications that they deem controversial or problematic, even if compliant with internal rules. Conclusion # Dutch employees enjoy protection against wrongful dismissal by an employer. This is particularly true for people with an indefinite contract of course, but also those with a temporary contract have rights.\nFor an employer to take action much depends on the kind of action, the timing and the tone of the action and whether or not there has been previous communication. It also depends on the initial response by the employer and whether or not the employer is open for debate and alterations to the work, for example.\nAnnex # Legal texts can sometimes change. The legal articles cited here are confirmed accurate as of April 2025. Always check the original legal source text for the latest authoritative version.\n[1] For an excellent overview of Dutch labour law in English, see the following report: Dismissal law in The Netherlands (2018), by Tom F.M. Bremers, Emma A.P. Ficq, Caroline J.G.P. Huizinga, and Merel A.C. Keijzer of the European Working Group of Labour Law. This report is from 2018, so might not be fully up-to-date on specific issues.\n[2] Dutch Civil Code, Book 7, article 678: Urgent reasons for the employer to terminate the employment agreement immediately.\n1. An urgent reason for the employer in the meaning of Article 7:677, paragraph 1, consists of such acts, characteristics or behaviour on the part of the employee, having the result that the employer reasonably cannot be expected to continue the employment agreement. 2. An urgent reason may, among others, exist: a. when the employee has misled the employer at the conclusion of the employment agreement by showing false or forged testimonials or by deliberately providing false information about the way in which his previous employment ended; b. when the employee seriously seems to lack the competence or the capability to perform the work to which he has engaged himself; c. when the employee, despite warning, takes to drunkenness or other dissipated behaviour; d. when the employee makes himself guilty of theft, embezzlement, deceit, fraud or other indictable offences as a result of which he becomes unworthy of the employer\u0026rsquo;s trust; e. when the employee batters, crudely insults or seriously threatens the employer, his family members or other employees; f. when the employee tempts or tries to tempt the employer, his family members or other employees to perform or participate in actions contradictory to law or good morals; g. when the employee deliberately, or despite warning, recklessly damages the property of the employer or exposes it to serious danger; h. when the employee deliberately, or despite warning, recklessly exposes himself or others to serious danger; i. when the employee makes public characteristics regarding the household or enterprise of the employer which he was expected to keep confidential; j. when the employee persistently refuses to comply with reasonable instructions or orders given by or on behalf of the employer; k. when the employee crudely neglects the obligations imposed on him by the employment agreement; l. when the employee deliberately or because of reckless behaviour becomes or remains unable to perform the contracted work. [3] Contractual provisions leaving the decision whether an urgent reason in the meaning of Article 7:677, paragraph 1, exists to the discretion of the employer, are null and void. Dutch Civil Code, Book 7, article 669:\n1. The employer may terminate the employment contract if there are reasonable grounds for doing so and redeployment of the employee within a reasonable period, with or without training, to another suitable position is not possible or not reasonable. Redeployment is in any case not reasonable if there is culpable conduct or omission on the part of the employee as referred to in paragraph 3, section e. 2. Redeployment, as referred to in paragraph 1, is not required if the employee holds a religious office. 3. Reasonable grounds as referred to in paragraph 1 are understood to mean: a. the loss of jobs as a result of the termination of the company\u0026rsquo;s activities or, viewed over a future period of at least 26 weeks, the necessary loss of jobs as a result of measures being taken for efficient business operations due to economic circumstances; b. illness or disability of the employee as a result of which he is no longer able to perform the agreed work, provided that the period referred to in Article 670, paragraphs 1 and 11, has expired and it is plausible that no recovery will occur within 26 weeks, or in the case of an employee who has reached the age referred to in Article 7, section a, of the General Old Age Act (Algemene Ouderdomswet), 6 weeks, and that the agreed work cannot be performed in an adapted form within that period; c. the regular inability to perform the agreed work as a result of illness or disability of the employee with unacceptable consequences for business operations, provided that the regular inability to perform the agreed work is not the result of insufficient care on the part of the employer for the working conditions of the employee and it is plausible that no recovery will occur within 26 weeks, or in the case of an employee who has reached the age referred to in Article 7, section a, of the General Old Age Act, 6 weeks, and that the agreed work cannot be performed in an adapted form within that period; d. the employee’s incapacity to perform the agreed work, other than as a result of illness or disability of the employee, provided that the employer has informed the employee of this in good time and has given him sufficient opportunity to improve his performance and the incapacity is not the result of insufficient care on the part of the employer for the employee’s training or for the employee’s working conditions; e. culpable acts or omissions on the part of the employee, such that the employer cannot reasonably be expected to allow the employment contract to continue; f. the employee’s refusal to perform the agreed work due to a serious conscientious objection, provided that it is plausible that the agreed work cannot be performed in an adapted form; g. a disturbed working relationship, such that the employer cannot reasonably be expected to allow the employment contract to continue; h. circumstances other than those mentioned above that are such that the employer cannot reasonably be expected to allow the employment contract to continue. ","date":"19 March 2025","permalink":"/en/resources/dutch-labour-law-workplace-action/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"Protections for workplace action in Dutch Labour Law"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This session is part of a series. Registration for the full training closes 26 January 2025.\n","date":"13 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-13/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #5"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands’ biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you’d like to take part!\n","date":"10 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-10-organisatiebijeenkomst/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This session is part of a series. Registration for the full training closes 26 January 2025.\n","date":"6 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-06/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #4"},{"content":"Tech workers in the Netherlands join the 2.Dh5 festival in Amsterdam. Come say hi at the tech workers coalition table!\nAbout the festival:\nThe yearly 2.Dh5 festival returns to Ru Paré in Amsterdam for its nineteenth edition from March 1st and 2nd 2025.\nNow more than ever, we need community, support, and mutual aid as much as ever before. Let us bring together the threads of our hope, knowledge, and skills, to weave a resilient resistance against the powers that seek to dismantle our communities and repress our struggles.\nVisit the 2.Dh5 festival website\n","date":"2 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-02/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"2.Dh5 Festival"},{"content":"Tech workers in the Netherlands join the 2.Dh5 festival in Amsterdam. Come say hi at the tech workers coalition table!\nAbout the festival:\nThe yearly 2.Dh5 festival returns to Ru Paré in Amsterdam for its nineteenth edition from March 1st and 2nd 2025.\nNow more than ever, we need community, support, and mutual aid as much as ever before. Let us bring together the threads of our hope, knowledge, and skills, to weave a resilient resistance against the powers that seek to dismantle our communities and repress our struggles.\nVisit the 2.Dh5 festival website\n","date":"1 March 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-03-01/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"2.Dh5 Festival"},{"content":"This resource discusses why workplace organizing works, the foundations of organizing, and steps you can take to start organizing effectively to get the workplace changes you want.\nWhy organizing works # Organizing at your workplace is effective. Why? Because businesses need workers for their survival.\nOnly you, the workers, actually get things done for the business. You make the goods. You deliver the services. You produce value for the organization. Bosses, managers, and shareholders don\u0026rsquo;t produce value. They just extract the value created by you, the worker.\nWithout workers, nothing gets done. No goods get made. No service is delivered. Without goods or services, there\u0026rsquo;s no profit. And without profit, the business collapses.\nThat means that you and your coworkers can be immensely powerful\u0026hellip; if you stick together and organize!\nOrganize, and you can win the workplace changes you want.\nOrganizing foundations # Find your drive # What would you want to change about your work? Why do you want it? Know your reasons. Know you deserve it, and that you’re worth it. Get motivated.\nYour reasons for organizing will sustain you through any hard times.\nConnect with coworkers # Meet up socially with your coworkers. Hold informal coffee chats, set up a memes channel, do games nights and recipe swaps. This way you build networks, relationships, and trust for a foundation from which to organize.\nForm a planning team # Find a couple of coworkers who also want to organize. Check that they have the time and energy to do so. You\u0026rsquo;re the planning team now!\nSelect a regular time outside work to meet up with your planning team. This builds solidarity and gives time to strategize together.\nTake action # Do you want to get results from your organizing? Then take strategic steps. Here\u0026rsquo;s a roadmap you can use to begin to organize effectively in your workplace.\nStep 1: Map your workplace # Map out everyone in your workplace (except bosses and managers) in a list or spreadsheet. If your company has an organizational chart, then you can use that as a basis.\nFor each person, list:\nName Job title Department or team Topics that matter to them, both at work and personally Are they already on board with organizing? Sentiment towards unions Whether they\u0026rsquo;re a leader (see: Step 2) Who they could bring on board Last time contacted Contact details Update the map every week.\n💡 Keep your workplace map strictly inside your planning team! If the map leaks out, management is likely going to use it to sabotage your efforts.\nStep 2: Identify leaders # Identify the people that others listen to. This could be for any reason at all\u0026mdash;maybe they’re respected for their work, but maybe they’ve just got great memes in the company Slack. Whatever the reason, these are the people you want on board. Recruit them (if you can), they’ll recruit others.\nStep 3: Talk with more coworkers # Talk with more of your coworkers about what frustrates them. Do they want more flexibility? Higher pay? Better safety standards? Three colleagues sitting in a room together complaining about management are halfway there.\nGetting coworkers fired up is mostly listening and asking some questions here and there. Once people have identified some problems, ask how they’d change the situation.\n💡 Take all conversations about organizing off of work computers and channels as soon as possible\u0026mdash;for example company email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. Work channels may sometimes be monitored, and devices that you got from work could contain tracking software.\nOnce you\u0026rsquo;ve got more of your coworkers on board, you can start with actions and campaigns to build toward getting the workplace changes you want.\nTips for talking about organizing # Always address the person you\u0026rsquo;re talking with directly as you, or you and your coworkers. Avoid terms such as \u0026lsquo;we\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;us\u0026rsquo;, or \u0026lsquo;I\u0026rsquo;, because it removes the person you\u0026rsquo;re speaking with from the picture. You and your coworkers can organize together for better work conditions at your workplace. Weird one: be kind, but don\u0026rsquo;t say \u0026rsquo;thank you\u0026rsquo; to your coworker for the fact that they\u0026rsquo;re organizing. Your coworker is not doing you a favour. You and your coworkers are together standing up to get the workplace changes you want. Join today # Would you like to get started organizing at your workplace? Empower yourself by becoming a workplace organizer with the support from the Tech Workers Coalition!\nJoin Tech Workers Coalition Thanks to United Tech and Allied Workers and Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee for helpful resources.\n","date":"1 March 2025","permalink":"/en/resources/organize/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"Organize your workplace"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This session is part of a series. Registration for the full training closes 26 January 2025.\n","date":"27 February 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-02-27/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #3"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This session is part of a series. Registration for the full training closes 26 January 2025.\n","date":"20 February 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-02-20/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #2"},{"content":"Organizing for Power: Core Fundamentals Training is an intensive training programme where you\u0026rsquo;ll learn how to win more of the campaigns that matter to you!\nTraining is free and open to all. You\u0026rsquo;ll do six weekly two-hour sessions that consist of a mixture of lectures and some hands-on practice time. There\u0026rsquo;ll also be some prep tasks to complete on your own time.\nSessions are held online on Thursdays from 18.00 to 20.00 CET, from 13 February to 20 March 2025.\nSchedule # 13 February 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET 20 February 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET 27 February 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET 6 March 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET 13 March 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET 20 March 2025, 18.00-20.00 CET Would you like to take part? Awesome! Fill out the registration form by 26 January 2025.\nRegister for the training\nNote: This training can only go through if there are sufficient expressions of interest. So bring along friends, coworkers, comrades \u0026amp; acquaintances!\n","date":"13 February 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-02-13/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing for Power | Session #1"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"3 February 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-02-03/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"27 January 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-01-27/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Terminology # The whole sphere of collective labour agreements is often filled with specialist jargon. Here\u0026rsquo;s an overview to clarify the main terms.\nDutch English Description Algemeen verbindend verklaring (AVV) Generally binding agreement If a collective labour agreement is generally binding, then the agreement holds for all workers in a role who meet specific conditions. Employing companies are bound by generally binding agreements and can\u0026rsquo;t opt out. Bedrijfstak or sector Industry For example \u0026rsquo;tech industry\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;manufacturing industry\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;hospitality industry\u0026rsquo;. Beroep Profession The work or role you do in exchange for wages or other forms of payment. Collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst (CAO) Collective labour agreement A contract that is usually signed between one or more employer, and one or more worker organisation Onderneming Enterprise, venture, or company In the context of collective labour agreeents and works councils, the term generally refers to an employing company as an entity. Ondernemingsraad (OR) Works council Dutch law requires organisations of 50 or more workers to have a works council. Smaller organisations can also have a works council if they elect to do so. Through the works council, representatives from the company talk directly with the boss. Vakbond Workers\u0026rsquo; union A workers’ union is a set of its members, the workers who have joined the union. Werkgeversorganisatie or werkgeversvereniging Employer organisation, employer\u0026rsquo;s union There are at least two forms of employer unions: A collective of companies, so that they can be represented at a government level, for example as is the case with the collective of small and medium-sized companies (midden- en kleinbedrijf, MKB)A regular union Wet open overheid (WOO) Law open government A law that entitles people to get information from the government on any government operations and decisions. In some countries this is also known as a freedom of information act. What types of collective labour agreement are there? # There are two main types of collective labour agreement in the Netherlands: an industry collective labour agreement, and a company collective labour agreement.\nIndustry collective labour agreement # An industry collective labour agreement is an agreement signed between:\nan employer or employer organisation (industry collective) an employee organisation (industry union) An industry collective labour agreement is only applicable to workers at companies in that industry. For example, only workers at companies registered as metal and technology businesses can be part of the metal and technology collective labour agreement, while workers at for example Booking.com are covered by the travel industry collective labour agreement.\nCompany collective labour agreements # A company collective labour agreement is an agreement signed between:\nan employer an employee organisation (generally a union) A company collective labour agreement is only applicable to workers at the company that signed the agreement. Workers in similar roles at other companies must get their own collective labour agreement.\nA collective labour agreement may either include every worker at a company, or only workers in certain roles or professions at that company. What\u0026rsquo;s in a collective labour agreement? # A collective labour agreement can cover pretty much any aspect of work and working conditions that can be collectively agreed. This can include, for example:\nJob description Work hours Payment, such as salary or bonuses Travel allowance Holidays Budget for training or schooling Guidelines for promotion Pension plans Here are some examples of collective labour agreements:\nCollective labour agreement for workers at technical installation companies (in Dutch) Collective labour agreement for workers at the ING Bank (in Dutch) Collective labour agreement for call centre workers (in Dutch) When is a collective labour agreement generally binding? # In some cases a collective labour agreement is declared generally binding. A generally binding collective labour agreement applies to all workers in a certain role, as long as they meet certain conditions as specified in the agreement. Generally binding calls remove the need for workers to get collective labour agreements on a company-by-company basis.\nIs it a good thing if a collective labour agreement is generally binding? # A generally binding collective labour agreement often works out as a net positive for workers in an entire profession. For example, in August 2023, call centre workers had a collective labour agreement declared generally binding for anyone who works as a call centre worker\u0026mdash;regardless of what their individual companies had agreed. (Or failed to agree.) A total of 40,000 workers are now covered by the call centre worker collective labour agreement.\nDoes every worker have a collective labour agreement? # Not all workers have a collective labour agreement that applies to their role.\nAlso, beware of bosses saying something like the following:\nSure we follow the collective labour agreement! We just haven\u0026rsquo;t officially signed on to it\nSuch comments from bosses are red flags. As a worker, if your employer hasn\u0026rsquo;t signed on to a collective labour agreement, and if no collective labour agreement is generally binding for your role, then your boss is in no way bound by a collective labour agreement.\nFurther resources # Would you like to learn more about collective labour agreements in the Netherlands? Here are some further resources:\nWhat is a collective labour agreement (in Dutch) What is an employer organisation (in Dutch) List of CAOs (in Dutch) Want more help understanding your collective labour agreement? Or whether you even have one? A fellow tech worker is happy to help! Join Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands.\n","date":"22 January 2025","permalink":"/en/resources/cao/","section":"Resources","summary":"","title":"What's a collective labour agreement (CAO)?"},{"content":" Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands and Rubber Ducky Collective are organising a beginner-friendly programmming skillshare, no experience required!\nLearn the basics of web development with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. This is suitable for absolute beginners, you don’t need to have ever written a single line of code before. Bring your laptop, charger and rubber ducky (optional).\nTech Workers Coalition flyers will be available at the skill share.\n26 January 2025, 15:00\nCatu\nCatullusweg 11\nRotterdam\n","date":"21 January 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-01-21/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Rubber Ducky Collective: Programming for Beginners"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"20 January 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-01-20/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Learn more about governance and decision making in relation to tech worker organizing.\nNot yet a member of the Tech Workers Coalition? Join now.\n","date":"13 January 2025","permalink":"/en/events/2025-01-13/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Governance and decision making training 🎯"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"16 December 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-12-16/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"What matters most to you as a tech worker right now? Where would you like the tech labour movement to be in 2025? And how about in five years\u0026rsquo; time?\nTake part in the Tech Workers Coalition NL Imagining the future strategy workshop to help shape the next steps!\nAre you not a member yet? Join now.\n","date":"2 December 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-12-02/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Imagining the future workshop 🔮✨"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"18 November 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-11-18/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"4 November 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-11-04/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition Netherlands\u0026rsquo; biweekly action planning meeting. Join if you\u0026rsquo;d like to take part!\n","date":"21 October 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-10-21/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Organizing meetup"},{"content":" Where: https://meet.google.com/iim-orbi-stb, closed captions available\nWho: Anyone who would like to learn more about organizing to achieve results is most welcome to join. The focus of this session is on organizing at work, but many of the insights will be applicable more broadly. You don\u0026rsquo;t have to be in any form of official \u0026lsquo;work\u0026rsquo; to take part!\nPreparation: Read Unite \u0026amp; Win: The Workplace Organizer’s Handbook (PDF) (but don\u0026rsquo;t worry if you didn\u0026rsquo;t manage to finish it, you\u0026rsquo;re welcome to join anyway)\nDescription: During this first, exploratory session we can discuss things such as:\nWhat is organizing? How do you build up a team? How to motivate people to join? How to go public with your action? How to you deal with authorities and those in power? Questions or comments? Contact: techwerkers@proton.me.\nIf you feel able, consider donating to the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, who wrote the Unite \u0026amp; Win handbook.\n","date":"7 August 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-08-27/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"Learn to organise ✊"},{"content":"Find the Tech Worker Coalition table stand for some zines and to meet fellow tech workers!\n","date":"12 June 2024","permalink":"/en/events/2024-06-12/","section":"Events","summary":"","title":"MozFest House"},{"content":"What happens next? # You\u0026rsquo;ve taken the first step. Here\u0026rsquo;s what happens next:\nYou\u0026rsquo;re automatically subscribed to the Tech Workers Coalition newsletter with updates on meetups, trainings, and actions. You\u0026rsquo;ll get invited to the Tech Workers Coalition Slack, where you can meet fellow tech workers from all over the world 🌍 In the meantime, join one of the upcoming events.\nDo you have any questions? Feel free to reach out via email (hey@techwerkers.nl) or through one of our socials.\n","date":"1 January 0001","permalink":"/en/join/success/","section":"Join the Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"Congrats 🥳"},{"content":"","date":null,"permalink":"/en/twc-global/index.yaml","section":"Events for TWC Global","summary":"","title":"Events for TWC Global"},{"content":" Your details Fill out the following details so that a fellow tech worker can check that you\u0026rsquo;re eligible to join. Check the joining principles\nEmail Name How can we find you?\nLink #1 Link #2 Employer (if any) Your goals What would you like to achieve with the Tech Workers Coalition? This helps connect you with the right people and resources.\nSubmit Want to more info? Learn more about Tech Workers Coalition.\n","date":null,"permalink":"/en/join/","section":"Join the Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"Join the Tech Workers Coalition"},{"content":"Tech Workers Coalition reserves the right to reject join requests from people who:\nwork in a role that involves the management, disciplining, or surveillance of workers. For example, who work as a boss, people manager, HR member, or team leader. work in a role that involves or facilitates the surveillance, arrest, imprisonment, or killing of workers. For example, who work with the police, in the prison system, military, or weapons industry. want to join wholly or in part for business purposes, for example to promote a product or do user testing. want to study or interview tech workers in their role as a researcher or journalist. Thanks for understanding! If you have any questions about these eligibility principles, get in touch.\nBack to the join form ","date":"1 January 0001","permalink":"/en/join/principles/","section":"Join the Tech Workers Coalition","summary":"","title":"Who can join?"}]