The AWVN employers’ organisation is recommending that companies where business is good should agree to increase pay rather than stick rigidly to a pay freeze, the Volkskrant reports on Monday.

However, demands for across-the-board increases of 3%, as called for by the FNV union federation, are out of the question, the AWVN says. The information comes from confidential documents outlining the organisation’s views ahead of the coming round of pay and conditions negotiations.

‘Wages have risen 10% on average since 2008 so employers have clearly acted responsibly,’ the document states. ‘However, inflation has risen 12.75% over the same period.’

The AWVN is the largest individual member of the VNO-NCW employers’ organisation.

Last month, Bernard Wientjes, head of the VNO-NCW, said he opposed ‘generic’ pay rises because of the threat to the Dutch export position, the Volkskrant points out.