Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner has come under attack from unions and MPs for suggesting older workers get pay cuts.

Speaking on tv programme Buitenhof, Donner said older workers were expensive because of the long pay scales, meaning wages continue to rise throughout a person’s working life.
To make it more attractive for companies to employ older staff, this system should be looked at again, Donner said. The government is planning to increase the pension age from 65 to 66 in 2020 and then again to 67 in 2027 and needs to take action to get more people to stay at work. At the moment only 28% of the over-60s still have a regular job.
Stupid
Trade union federation CNV said Donner’s comments were ‘stupid and hopeless’.
‘There are so many preconceptions about older workers which are wrong,’ said spokesman Bert van Boggelen. ‘That they are less productive, expensive, you name it. Donner is reinforcing that picture. We should be working to combat preconceptions… rather than writing people off.’
Socialist MP Paul Ulenbelt said Donner’s suggestion is ‘ridiculous’. He pointed out in the Telegraaf that most pay scales have 10 to 15 steps and after that salaries only go up in line with the annual pay rise.

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