Netherlands-LABOUR MARKET

Labour market indicators

Unemployment rate in 2004 : 4,6% (ILO data)

Working population:

Year	Total Population	Working population	Activity rate
2004	16 250 000	7 467 200	46%

Source: World Bank

Employment by sector:

Year	Agriculture	Industry	Services
2004	3.3%	18.9%	77.7%

Sources: ILO, Eurostat, last available data

Employment contracts

The employment contracts are regulated by legal clauses and to a lesser degree by collective agreements and individual negotiations.
The terms of employment contracts cannot be changed, the conditions for hiring and the limits for dismissal are rather rigid.

Salaries

National monthly minimum wage as of 01/01/2003 : 1,249 euros

Average wage for a employee in the manufacturing industry in 2000 : 15.62 euros by  hour (ILO data)

Social security contributions

Employer: 15.90 %.

Employee: 6.45 %.

Number of hours

Legal definition of full time work (per week): 37 hours

Retirement age:

65.

Unions

Average rate of union membership: 28 %.

Unions: The main trade unions are the FNV (Dutch trade union centre) and the CNV (Christian trade union centre).

Useful links

For further informations on the labour market, check out the following web sites:

- International Labour Organization (ILO): studies, statistics and reports on working conditions and labour markets

- NATLEX : ILO database on national labour laws

- Ministry for Social Affairs & Employment

- Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW)