Many Dutch workers will not see wage increases in 2026, says AWVN

The Dutch employers’ association (AWVN) has revealed that due to rising costs, many companies in the Netherlands will not be offering their workers salary increases in 2026.

Dutch employers' association says no to wage increases

While minimum wage workers can expect to receive more money in 2026, this won’t be the case for all workers in the Netherlands. In a message on behalf of employers’ organisations AWVN, VNO-NCW and MKB Nederland, the director of AWVN Lisette van Breugel has warned that many employees can forget about salary increases next year. 

"Our labour costs per hour worked are 35 percent above the European average," said Van Breugel. "We shouldn't just talk about dividing the pie. We should also talk about how we can make it bigger." According to Van Breugel, many sectors are struggling and have recently seen major reorganisations.

To combat this, employers want to work with Dutch trade unions to find solutions for current economic challenges. "In recent years, the focus has been almost exclusively on purchasing power. That has since recovered across the board. But if wages rise further, we'll price ourselves out of the market," she warns. 

Employers in the Netherlands face rising costs

More sectors are struggling, mainly due to the growing costs of having a company in the Netherlands, making it less attractive compared to other countries, reports De Telegraaf. Energy costs are higher in the Netherlands than in neighbouring countries, along with high labour costs. 

"Employers feel that not everyone realises how bad things are in some sectors," Van Breugel explains. "But if you want to start a new factory, and you see that the costs in France are a third lower than here, why would you still choose to set up here?" 

While the labour market remains tight, giving workers the benefit of looking for better jobs and getting paid more for their work, it reportedly makes it harder for some employers.

“Companies must still be able to invest. That's why we advocate for appropriate wage agreements,” says Van Breugel. “This means an employer can be generous if the company is doing well. You could consider some form of profit sharing or variable performance-related pay. But elsewhere, there will be a pause in salary terms."

Employers are also emphasising the importance of increasing labour productivity with investments in automation, robotisation and artificial intelligence. For this reason, they want to focus on including lifelong learning in labour agreements so that all workers stay up to date with technological changes.