Cao wages, contractual wage costs and working hours; index (2020=100)

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Cao sector Sector/Branches SIC 2008 Version Index figures Monthly contractual wage costs (2020=100) Index figures Hourly contractual wage costs (2020=100) Index figures Contractual working hours (2020=100) Year-on-year change Monthly contractual wage costs (%) Year-on-year change Hourly contractual wage costs (%) Year-on-year change Contractual working hours (%)
Total collective labour agreement sector A-U All economic activities Current figures 129.1 129.1 100.0 4.4 4.4 0.0
First-published figures 129.1 129.1 100.0 . . .
B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures 128.4 128.4 100.0 5.1 5.1 0.0
First-published figures 128.4 128.4 100.0 . . .
C Manufacturing Current figures 128.8 128.8 100.0 4.5 4.5 0.0
First-published figures 128.8 128.8 100.0 . . .
10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
812 Cleaning activities Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
O-Q Government and care Current figures 128.4 128.8 99.7 3.5 3.5 0.0
First-published figures 128.4 128.8 99.7 . . .
Q Health and social work activities Current figures 129.5 129.8 99.8 3.7 3.8 0.0
First-published figures 129.5 129.8 99.8 . . .
86 Human health activities Current figures . . 99.8 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.8 . . .
87-88 Care and social work Current figures . . 99.9 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.9 . . .
S Other service activities Current figures 134.7 135.2 99.8 4.3 4.2 0.0
First-published figures 134.7 135.2 99.8 . . .
T Activities of households Current figures
First-published figures
Sector private companies A-U All economic activities Current figures 129.5 129.4 100.1 4.9 4.9 0.0
First-published figures 129.5 129.4 100.1 . . .
B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
C Manufacturing Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
812 Cleaning activities Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
O-Q Government and care Current figures . . 98.8 . . -0.2
First-published figures . . 98.8 . . .
Q Health and social work activities Current figures . . 98.6 . . -0.3
First-published figures . . 98.6 . . .
86 Human health activities Current figures . . 98.6 . . -0.3
First-published figures . . 98.6 . . .
87-88 Care and social work Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
S Other service activities Current figures . . 99.8 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.8 . . .
T Activities of households Current figures
First-published figures
Sector subsidised corporations A-U All economic activities Current figures 129.0 129.1 99.9 3.9 3.9 0.0
First-published figures 129.0 129.1 99.9 . . .
B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
C Manufacturing Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
812 Cleaning activities Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
O-Q Government and care Current figures . . 99.9 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.9 . . .
Q Health and social work activities Current figures . . 99.9 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.9 . . .
86 Human health activities Current figures . . 100.0 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 100.0 . . .
87-88 Care and social work Current figures . . 99.9 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.9 . . .
S Other service activities Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
T Activities of households Current figures
First-published figures
Sector government A-U All economic activities Current figures 127.4 128.1 99.6 3.2 3.2 0.0
First-published figures 127.4 128.1 99.6 . . .
B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures . . 99.1 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.1 . . .
C Manufacturing Current figures . . 99.1 . . 0.0
First-published figures . . 99.1 . . .
10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
812 Cleaning activities Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
O-Q Government and care Current figures . . 99.5 . . -0.1
First-published figures . . 99.5 . . .
Q Health and social work activities Current figures . . 99.3 . . -0.2
First-published figures . . 99.3 . . .
86 Human health activities Current figures . . 99.3 . . -0.2
First-published figures . . 99.3 . . .
87-88 Care and social work Current figures . . . . . .
First-published figures . . . . . .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains index figures of the quantification of the development of the contractual wages (also known as cao wages or negotiated wages), contractual wage costs and contractual working hours of employees in the Netherlands. The table contains index figures on a number of elements contained in the collective labour agreements (in Dutch: cao), namely wages per month and per hour including and excluding special payments, contractual wage costs (per month and per hour) and contractual working hours. In addition, it presents developments calculated on the basis of these indices and the percentage of collective labour agreements completed.

Data available from: 1972, for the annual figures (up to and including 2019 to a limited extent) and from 2020, for the monthly figures and quarterly figures.

Status of the figures:
All the figures from 1972 to 2024 are final. The figures for 2025 and 2026 are provisional.

Changes as of 2 April 2026:
The provisional figures for March 2026 and the 1th quarter 2026 have been added and the provisional figures from January 2025 to February 2026 have been revised.

When will new figures be published?
The monthly figures are published within one week after the end of the calendar month concerned. This initial figure is called the first-published figure. The index is subsequently reviewed every month based on the additional completed collective labour agreements in that month.

Current figures marked with * are provisional. Up to the second quarter they can be reviewed monthly based on new completed collective labour agreements. In the second quarter the figures of the previous calendar year become definitive (current figures without *).

Description topics

Index figures
Index
An index is the ratio between two values, based on a base year which equals to100.
The use of indices makes it simpler and easier to monitor and compare the development of certain quantities (wages, prices) over time.
Monthly contractual wage costs
Monthly contractual wage costs
The index of monthly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions are reflected in the contractual wage costs figures.
Hourly contractual wage costs
Hourly contractual wage costs
The index of hourly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers in which the development of contractual working hours has been taken into account. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions as well as changes in annual working hours are reflected in the contractual hourly wage costs figures.
Contractual working hours
The contractual working hours are the agreed annual working hours of full-time employees.
Year-on-year change
Year-on-year change
These percentage changes are always related to the current figures and are compared to same period in the previous year.
Monthly contractual wage costs
Monthly contractual wage costs
The index of monthly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions are reflected in the contractual wage costs figures.
Hourly contractual wage costs
Hourly contractual wage costs
The index of hourly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers in which the development of contractual working hours has been taken into account. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions as well as changes in annual working hours are reflected in the contractual hourly wage costs figures.
Contractual working hours
The contractual working hours are the agreed annual working hours of full-time employees.