Increase in negotiated wages in 2024 was highest in over forty years
| Jaar | growth in negotiated wages (% year-on-year change) |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 4.8 |
| 1980 | 4.1 |
| 1981 | 2.6 |
| 1982 | 6.6 |
| 1983 | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 0.1 |
| 1985 | 2.7 |
| 1986 | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 1.1 |
| 1988 | 0.8 |
| 1989 | 1.7 |
| 1990 | 3.3 |
| 1991 | 3.7 |
| 1992 | 4.2 |
| 1993 | 3.2 |
| 1994 | 1.5 |
| 1995 | 1.1 |
| 1996 | 1.8 |
| 1997 | 3.0 |
| 1998 | 3.3 |
| 1999 | 3.3 |
| 2000 | 3.3 |
| 2001 | 4.4 |
| 2002 | 3.6 |
| 2003 | 2.8 |
| 2004 | 1.3 |
| 2005 | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 2.0 |
| 2007 | 2.1 |
| 2008 | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 2.8 |
| 2010 | 1.3 |
| 2011 | 1.1 |
| 2012 | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 0.9 |
| 2015 | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 1.8 |
| 2017 | 1.4 |
| 2018 | 2.0 |
| 2019 | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 2.9 |
| 2021 | 2.1 |
| 2022 | 3.2 |
| 2023 | 6.1 |
| 2024* | 6.6 |
| * provisional figures | |
In the last quarter of 2024, negotiated wages were 6.5 percent higher than in the same quarter of 2023. Since the second half of 2023, negotiated wages have been up by more than 6.2 percent in each quarter (year on year), with the highest increase in Q3 2024 (6.9 percent).
Public sector wage growth slightly lower than other sectors
In 2024, the increase in negotiated wages in the public sector (6.2 percent) lagged slightly that in the semi-public sector (subsidised institutions) and the private sector. Wages rose by 6.7 percent in the latter two sectors. In 2023 the picture was the reverse: public sector wages rose by the most, at 7.2 percent.
| Sector | 2024* (% year-on-year change) | 2023 (% year-on-year change) |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 6.6 | 6.1 |
| Public sector | 6.2 | 7.2 |
| Private sector | 6.7 | 5.9 |
| Semi-public sector | 6.7 | 5.5 |
| * provisional figures | ||
Wages in real estate sector grew by the most
At the sector level, wages rose by the most in real estate management (housing associations), where they were up by 12.4 percent in 2024.
| Bedrijfstakken | 2024* (% year-on-year change) | 2023 (% year-on-year change) |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate activities | 12.4 | 2.5 |
| Food and accommodation services | 10.6 | 4.8 |
| Other services | 8.6 | 7.5 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 7.9 | 5.6 |
| Rental/leasing and other business services | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| Health and welfare | 7.4 | 5.3 |
| Trade | 7.0 | 6.8 |
| Total | 6.6 | 6.1 |
| Construction | 6.6 | 4.5 |
| Public administration and services | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| Education | 6.4 | 6.7 |
| Information and communication | 6.3 | 5.4 |
| Specialised business services | 6.0 | 5.8 |
| Manufacturing | 5.7 | 5.8 |
| Energy supply | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| Culture, sport and recreation | 5.4 | 4.5 |
| Financial services | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Water utilites and waste management | 5.0 | 6.8 |
| Transportation and storage | 4.7 | 8.5 |
| * provisional figures | ||
Negotiated wages also rose by more than average in the accommodation and food services sector and the other services sector (which includes hairdressers, funeral homes and trade unions). The smallest average wage increase was in the transportation and storage sector (4.7 percent). This sector had seen the highest increase in negotiated wages in 2023, at 8.5 percent.
Real-terms wage growth around 2.6 percent
Real-term growth in negotiated wages (i.e. after adjustment for inflation) stood at around 2.6 percent in Q4 2024. An exact figure cannot yet be given because the inflation figure for Q4 will not be released until January. This estimate of real-terms wage growth for Q4 is based on the inflation trends seen in October and November.
The 2.6 percent real-terms increase in wages in Q4 2024 was less than the increases seen in the previous four quarters, but higher than Q3 2023, when negotiated wages were down by 1.4 percent in real terms. Real-terms wage growth for 2024 as a whole is 3.5 percent.
| Jaar | Kwartaal | Growth in negotiated hourly wages including special payments (% year-on-year change) | Real-terms growth in negotiated wages (% year-on-year change) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Q1 | 0.9 | -1.1 |
| 2011 | Q2 | 1.0 | -1.2 |
| 2011 | Q3 | 1.2 | -1.4 |
| 2011 | Q4 | 1.3 | -1.2 |
| 2012 | Q1 | 1.3 | -1.2 |
| 2012 | Q2 | 1.4 | -0.8 |
| 2012 | Q3 | 1.5 | -0.8 |
| 2012 | Q4 | 1.5 | -1.3 |
| 2013 | Q1 | 1.4 | -1.6 |
| 2013 | Q2 | 1.2 | -1.6 |
| 2013 | Q3 | 1.0 | -1.8 |
| 2013 | Q4 | 0.9 | -0.7 |
| 2014 | Q1 | 0.9 | -0.2 |
| 2014 | Q2 | 0.9 | -0.1 |
| 2014 | Q3 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| 2014 | Q4 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| 2015 | Q1 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| 2015 | Q2 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| 2015 | Q3 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
| 2015 | Q4 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | Q1 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | Q2 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| 2016 | Q3 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| 2016 | Q4 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| 2017 | Q1 | 1.3 | -0.2 |
| 2017 | Q2 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | Q3 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | Q4 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | Q1 | 1.8 | 0.6 |
| 2018 | Q2 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| 2018 | Q3 | 2.1 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | Q4 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| 2019 | Q1 | 2.3 | -0.2 |
| 2019 | Q2 | 2.6 | -0.1 |
| 2019 | Q3 | 2.7 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | Q4 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| 2020 | Q1 | 3.0 | 1.4 |
| 2020 | Q2 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
| 2020 | Q3 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2020 | Q4 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
| 2021 | Q1 | 2.2 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | Q2 | 2.2 | 0.4 |
| 2021 | Q3 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| 2021 | Q4 | 1.9 | -1.2 |
| 2022 | Q1 | 2.7 | -0.9 |
| 2022 | Q2 | 3.0 | -2.6 |
| 2022 | Q3 | 3.5 | -3.5 |
| 2022 | Q4 | 3.7 | -6.1 |
| 2023 | Q1 | 5.6 | -5.1 |
| 2023 | Q2 | 5.8 | -3.3 |
| 2023 | Q3 | 6.3 | -1.4 |
| 2023 | Q4 | 6.8 | 3.5 |
| 2024* | Q1 | 6.6 | 4.1 |
| 2024* | Q2 | 6.4 | 3.8 |
| 2024* | Q3 | 6.9 | 3.2 |
| 2024* | Q4 | 6.5 | 2.6 |
| * provisional figures | |||
In order to determine real-terms wage growth, the change in consumer prices is used, which is calculated using the energy prices actually being paid by households.
The provisional figure for Q3 2024 is based on 98 percent of collective labour agreements for which statistics are compiled. Three-quarters of employees in the Netherlands are covered by a collective labour agreement.
In December 2023, CBS started a new series on negotiated wages, using 2020 as the base year.
Sources
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