PostNL is offering all its freelance parcel staff a permanent job or the opportunity to remain freelance but earn more.

Freelance parcel staff can choose to take a job at PostNL and benefit from the company’s pay and conditions which include pension and holiday rights.

Alternatively, they can choose to remain freelance and earn around 10% more from a rise in the rate.

The offer, agreed with the FNV union, has been accepted by staff in Zwolle and Eindhoven but not those in Amsterdam.

Renier Stroo of FNV Transport and Logistics told the NRC it is good that each freelancer will be able to make a decision on whether to take a permanent job or remain freelance.

However, freelance parcel staff who are members of the SubcoPartners union went on strike on Tuesday saying they are unhappy with the deal.

SubcoPartners represents 350 of the 1,500 freelance parcel workers.

The union’s Maurice Jacobs told Radio 1 News they are disappointed with the deal. ‘We need a 25% rise to survive,’ he said. ‘Otherwise it is a choice between slowly going bankrupt, cheating or stopping.’

Taking a job with PostNL is not an option, he said. ‘They have been lying to us for two years.’