Sectoral agreement 2021-2022 for joint industrial committee 207
The social dialogue in Belgium is organized on 3 levels: inter-sectoral/federal, sectoral and company level. Over the past months, the wage norm and several employment measures which serve as the basis for the negotiations on a sectoral level, have been determined on a federal and inter-sectoral level.
Within JIC 207 these negotiations have been finalized, which resulted in a sectoral agreement for the years 2021-2022 (valid from 01.01.2021 until 31.12.2022). We would like to provide you hereby with an overview of the most important decisions for the upcoming two years in your sector of industry.
Attention! The text below is based on the Memorandum of Understanding and may still be subject to change once the final agreement is signed.
Wages
Companies that do not conclude collective labour agreements concerning wages on a company level (= non-conventionalized companies), have to increase the effectively paid salaries and shift premiums by 0,4% on 1 January, 2022 for employees whose function is included in the function classification. If a salary increase already has been granted on a company level, it will need to be set off against the 0,4% salary increase as provided for in the sectoral agreement.
The gross minimum experience wages will be increased by € 17,333 the month after the signature of the agreement and will be again increased by € 17,333 as of 01.04.2022.
The increase of the wages according to the index mechanism applicable in the sector or according to fixed company rates remains applicable apart from the 0,4% salary increase.
Companies that are bound by a collective labour agreement concerning wages on a company level (= conventionalized companies) are free to negotiate on that level how the 0,4% maximum increase of purchasing power will be implemented as provided for by the intersectoral agreement.
Corona premium
Companies that do not conclude collective labour agreements concerning wages on a company level (= non-conventionalized companies), will have to pay a corona-premium to the employees with a value of € 200 at the latest on 31.12.2021. This premium is awarded in the form of consumption vouchers.
The amount of this premium is determined pro rata the employment regime in 2021 and pro rata the effective and assimilated performance similar to the calculation of the year-end premium.
The employee must be employed on the first of November, 2021. Companies that have already explicitly awarded a premium in 2021 in the context of corona in the form of consumption vouchers may set off this premium against the corona premium as determined in this agreement.
Year-end premium
The maximum amount of the year-end premium for sales representatives will be increased by 0,4% to € 2.161,50 (current amount € 2.152,89).
Mobility
In addition to the employer's intervention in a train subscription, the employer will also contribute to the costs of a monthly subscription to the NMBS car park, for an amount of € 10 per month (prorated the subscription formula).
Seniority leave
In JIC 207, an additional day of leave is granted when the employee has 20 years of seniority in the company. As of 01.01.2022 this additional day is granted when the employee has at least 15 years seniority in the company (instead of after 20 years).
The additional day of leave after 25 years of seniority in the company is maintained.
Paid leave
Paid leave is introduced in case of legal co-habitation. An employee may be on paid leave for 3 consecutive working days if he or she legally starts cohabiting. In the event of a marriage by the same parties within a period of 10 years since the declaration of legal cohabitation, these days are set off against those of the marriage. Paid leave may be granted again for legal cohabitation after at least 10 years have passed since the previous legal cohabitation.
Unemployment scheme with company allowance and time credit
Regarding unemployment with company allowance, this agreement provides for various systems.
Regarding time credit, the sector provides for an extension to 30.06.2023 of the time credit with the motive of care for a period of 51 months (full-time and half-time suspension) and for a period of 36 months for the motive of training (full-time and half-time suspension). For the soft landing positions, there is the possibility to obtain a time credit without allowances from the age of 50 in case of 28 years of career and to obtain a time credit with allowances as from the age of 55 (4/5 and ½).
Training
The sector increases the collective training effort from an average of 4 days per year per full-time equivalent to an average of 5 days per year per full-time equivalent and expects an active contribution from all companies in the sector.
As of 01.01.2022, every employee has an individual training right of an average of 1 day of training per year per full-time employee over a period of 5 years, provided that the employee has at least 6 months of effective performance per calendar year.
Health surveillance
If an employee is subject to mandatory periodic health surveillance for risk functions during a period of 5 years before the end of her/his employment contract, (s)he can continue to benefit from health surveillance by the employer's occupational health service after leaving the employer. This is entirely without obligation for the employee, but (s)he must be informed of this possibility during the exit interview.
Temporary work
When hiring a temporary worker who was already working in the company, an obligation already exists in the sector to equalise the seniority as a temporary worker for all company benefits based on seniority, with the exception of the year-end bonus.
This equalization was foreseen for a maximum of 12 months, but is now extended to a maximum of 18 months.
