20 years after a packed Museumplein: what is the state of the union?

No fewer than 300,000 people gathered on Museumplein on October 2, 2004 against the dismantling of early retirement and disability legislation. A strike and demonstration in Rotterdam the month before had shown the willingness to take action. This battle was lost. Despite great resistance in the federation council, the trade union leadership later also pushed through the increase in the retirement age. The merger process that followed put an end to the power of this body. This was replaced by the members' parliament. The 2019 pension agreement showed that the polder course of phased surrender is still alive and kicking.

In this meeting we want to take stock. How do we look back on the battle of twenty years ago? What did the FNV merger mean for the position of critical executives? On what basis can the union rebuild itself in the coming years?

This meeting will be in Dutch with translation to English on request.

Speakers: Hans Lammers (International Socialists), Saskia Boumans (guest researcher UvA), Sjarrel Massop (Solidarity)