Cabinet and polder begin talks on WIA and work
The Catshuis talks are intended to lay the groundwork for a possible social agreement, but a compromise is still a long way off.
Follow-up to: Government and social partners begin talks on agreement Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 06:37
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Employers, trade unions and the cabinet are meeting at the Catshuis today to discuss the future of social security and the Netherlands’ earning capacity. The previously announced cuts to, among other things, WW and WIA have been shelved for now, but the cabinet is holding firm on reforms.
The meeting is the first formal step since the cabinet decided at the end of September not to proceed with the planned cuts to social security. Prime Minister Rob Jetten previously said this should create room for talks with the social partners. Representatives of FNV, CNV, VCP, VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland and LTO Nederland are attending, together with several ministers.
The participants will discuss, among other things, the high inflow into WIA, preventing long-term absence and how people can remain in or enter work sustainably. Continued wage payments during illness and the operation of WW are also among the subjects employers and employees themselves previously raised.
The scrapping of the cuts does not mean that the financial challenge has disappeared. The cabinet has said it will later assess how much in savings any agreement might produce. If reforms yield less than previously estimated, the remaining amount will have to be incorporated into the budget in another way.
The trade unions are presenting the start of the talks as the result of their actions. FNV, CNV and VCP mainly want agreements on prevention, better support and a stronger safety net. They oppose measures that, in their view, undermine the income security of people with disabilities or people without work.
Employers’ organisations are placing a different emphasis. They point to the tight labour market, the cost of continued wage payments during illness and the need to get more people into work. VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland also want agreements on economic growth and investment, because they fear that higher public spending without additional growth will lead to new cuts.
The meeting is therefore primarily an exploration. There is no negotiating agreement, and the participants have not yet published a joint timetable for measures. The key test will be whether the parties can reach agreement both on protecting people who drop out of work and on the financial sustainability of the system.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The cabinet has temporarily scrapped cuts to social security.
- Employers, employees and the cabinet are beginning talks on reforms.
- There is no agreement yet and the financial consequences are unknown.
Left
Arguments The first priority is income security. Reforms must prevent people who are ill or unemployed from being weakened further; prevention, good support and public provision are more important than rapid savings.
Values Solidarity, security of livelihood and collective responsibility.
Consequences A generous safety net costs money, but prevents poverty and can actually guide people towards work more sustainably.
Centre
Arguments Both protection and reform are needed. Employers, employees and the government must jointly seek measures that are workable and whose financial effects are made clear in advance.
Values Broad support, practicability and institutional stability.
Consequences A compromise may command broad support, but takes time and may go less far than either side would like.
Right
Arguments The system must provide people with stronger incentives and give employers less risk when taking on staff. Without controlling WIA and continued wage-payment costs, burdens will continue to rise and the labour market will become less flexible.
Values Individual responsibility, economic growth and sustainable public finances.
Consequences Tighter rules may limit the inflow, but carry the risk that vulnerable people will fall through the cracks.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The procedural facts and positions can be found in cabinet, trade-union and employers’ sources. The text makes clear that no agreement has yet been reached.
- confirmed The cabinet and social partners are meeting at the Catshuis on 7 October. — The Dutch government refers to the initial meeting and the date. source
- confirmed The previously announced cuts to WW and WIA have been shelved for now. — This is stated in the cabinet declaration. source
- confirmed FNV, CNV and VCP want to discuss prevention, support and improvements to WIA. — The trade unions mention these subjects in their joint statement. source
- confirmed Employers’ organisations identify continued wage payments during illness and WIA inflow as subjects for discussion. — VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland explicitly mention these points. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the initial meeting is taking place and which subjects are on the table. The outcome, the form of any agreement and the future budgetary effects remain uncertain.Sources
The story so far
- Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 06:37 Government and social partners begin talks on agreement
- Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 07:39 Cabinet and polder begin talks on WIA and work (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „sociaal akkoord”
- de Volkskrant — „sociaal akkoord”
- RTL Nieuws — „sociaal akkoord”