Salaries at the Ministry of Defence will increase by 6.5% in September, with a further 2% rise scheduled for the beginning of 2028. The agreement was signed on Friday by State Secretary for Defence Derk Boswijk (CDA) and the defence unions. It also includes one-off payments.
The outcome of the negotiations was announced last month, but union members still had to approve the deal. That approval has now been given.
In a video posted on X, Boswijk thanked the unions and described the negotiations as “tough but constructive”. He called the agreement “a very good result for our organisation, with which the armed forces are ready for the future”.
Support for the agreement was strong among union members. At the Union for Civilian and Military Defence Personnel (VBM), nearly 96% voted in favour. Among members of the AFMP union and the Marechaussee Association MARVER, support stood at 93%.
Defence employees have received several pay increases in recent years. Two years ago, salaries rose by 7%, and staff received a one-off gross payment of €1,500. A further 5% wage increase followed last year, with another 2% added earlier this year.
These pay rises are broadly in line with average collective labour agreement wage increases recorded by Statistics Netherlands.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
