The biggest Dutch trade union federation FNV is targeting a pay rise of 5% in the coming round of pay and conditions talks, its biggest demand in 30 years.

In recent years the union, which always publishes its pay demand ahead of the budget presentation, has aimed at an increase of 2.5% to 3.5%.

Economic growth and trailing salaries are the reason behind the high target, negotiator Zakaria Boufnagacha said. ‘We are demanding that workers really profit from economic growth in 2019,’ she said.

The union federation also wants the government to do more to make sure that ‘structural jobs’ are done by people on permanent contracts. ‘Flexibility is a multi-headed monster that has played colleagues and different generations off against each other,’ Boufnagacha said.

Last year, the FNV set its sights on a 3.5% pay rise but the average increase in centrally negotiated pay deals was 1.8%. In 2016, unions called for a 2.5% rise but the average was one percentage point below that.

Politicians, the Dutch central bank and economists have all called on employers to boost wages to ensure long-term economic growth.