Sometimes there is not much to report, but we still feel the need to send you a short message. After all, a lot has happened, been said and written in recent weeks. And sometimes ‘no news’ is also news. This is of course about the new collective labor agreement and Back on Track.

Collective labor agreement developments

On October 1, 2025, we informed you that the strikes are over for the time being and that talks are resumed. We are happy with that and we have never hidden it. Our preference is still to reach a new collective labor agreement with all land unions.

We are now about three weeks further. We cannot and should not say much about the content of these conversations. Formally, we are not (yet) involved, but we are connected. Together with a mediator, solutions are seriously sought. Solutions that meet the wishes of all ground unions, but also fit the situation in which KLM finds itself.

Unfortunately, these conversations also take a lot of time. And although the outcome is still uncertain, it is positive as long as there is talk. We expect that there will be more clarity in the not too distant future, so that we can start our collective labor agreement member consultation.

As long as there is no new collective labor agreement, the salaries, as previously agreed in the negotiation result, will unfortunately not be adjusted. This also applies to the one-off fee. For that reason alone, we would like to speed up.

Back on Track

Less positive is the situation regarding the consequences of Back on Track (BoT). There is still no clarity for the employees affected by this restructuring. The requests for advice submitted to the works council cannot be formally completed either. The reason for this is as follows:

At the beginning of August, all five ground unions and KLM, after long negotiations, reached an agreement in principle on the mobility agreements in the context of BoT. The basis is that there will be no forced redundancies (De Unie has always been committed to this) and that there is sufficient room for voluntary departure. This agreement was approved soon afterwards by the members of De Unie, VKP and NVLT. Unfortunately, the consultation by FNV and CNV has been stopped due to the collective labor agreement conflict.

We have never properly understood that decision, because we see the collective labor agreement vicissitudes and these mobility agreements as two separate processes. The employees involved are entitled to clarity and have been waiting far too long. That is why we continue to urge colleagues to give their opinion on this earlier agreement in principle quickly.

So much for this message.
Do you have any questions or comments? Then send an e-mail to huug.brinkers@unie.nl.

Sincerely,
Huug Brinkers

Advocate