The staff of the Regionale Gezondheidsdienst (RGD, Regional Health Service) have been taking industrial action since Friday afternoon. “An exemption has only been granted to the ambulance service,” says chairman Rinaldo Herkul of the Bond van Personeel bij de Regionale Gezondheidsdienst (BPRGD).
Herkul says that management is refusing to implement the 2025 collective labour agreement (CAO). It has been stated that there is no money. “How can one sign a CAO and subsequently state that there is no money to implement it?” he asked rhetorically. Management has already been informed of this action by the union. According to the union chairman, staff will continue their action until the CAO is implemented and all funds have been received.
The CAO was submitted in November 2025 and negotiations started in June 2026 and proceeded with difficulty. Management initially indicated that it could offer a maximum of 12%. After negotiations, 13.5% was ultimately agreed upon. In addition to the new salary scale, the following matters were discussed/agreed: a 13.5 percent salary increase, a clothing allowance of SRD 10,000, a one-off payment of SRD 8,000, a transport allowance of SRD 3,250, increasing to SRD 3,500 next year, and payment of the various TWK amounts (retroactive payments).
The union made a payment proposal under which the funds would be paid out in phases as much as possible: first week of September: one-off payment, end of September: new salary + first TWK, October: difference in clothing and transport allowance, December: next payment, from January: further payment of the remaining TWKs. The union did not agree to the proposal to spread the payments until February 2027. The proposal was sent back.
At present, a significant problem has arisen. Management has indicated that it cannot/does not wish to pay the SRD 3,500 for July 2026 and the one-off payment as expected. In addition, the new salary scale has now taken effect and the bridging allowance (OBT) will no longer be paid from August. This means that employees are currently faced with a reduced salary, while amounts remain outstanding to which employees are entitled under the agreements made. Management has furthermore indicated that it wishes to pay the outstanding funds only up to February 2027.
