Joint Committee 126: extension of the scope to non-manual workers

Since 1 April 2021, the Joint Committee 126 for upholstery and woodworking is also responsible for non-manual workers. On 7 April, the social partners in this sector concluded a number of collective bargaining agreements to facilitate this transition. The starting point of these CBAs is that nothing will change for non-manual workers on 1 April.

Adopting of existing CBAs

The CBAs for an indefinite period valid within JC200 that were in effect on 31 March 2021 are adopted. These CBAs from JC 200 therefore remain valid for the non-manual workers of JC 126 until the Joint Committee 126 regulates these matters itself.

These are the CBAs that cover the following topics:

• eco-vouchers
• end-of-year bonus and annual premium
• purchasing power
• travelling expenses
• occupational classification
• minimum pay scales based on work experience
• linking wages to the smoothed health index
• guaranteeing a minimum average monthly income
• working time and new working arrangements
• justified absences
• collective redundancies
• status of the trade union delegation and union training

The fixed-term collective bargaining agreements of JC 200 are adopted until the planned end of their period of validity. After that, the JC 126 will regulate these matters itself in new CBAs.

These are the CBAs that cover the following topics:

• training (161.876, 159.780 and 152.851); expected end date 31/12/2021;
• status of the trade union delegation (160.974); expected end date 31/07/2021;
• RCC/SWT (152.853 and 152.854); expected end date 30/06/2021;
• time credit (152.855); expected end date 30/06/2021;
• sector agreement Flemish incentive bonus of 23 April 2020; expected end date 30/06/2021;

Changes from 1 April

Notwithstanding the principle that nothing will change for the time being, JC 126 has already concluded the following CBAs, which come into force on 1 April 2021:

CBA of 7 April 2021 concerning the entitlement to outplacement for certain non-manual workers

The substantive provisions on outplacement of JC 200 are adopted in a new CBA. The non-profit association Woodwize is henceforth responsible for the outplacement. This new CBA enters into force on 1 April 2021 and ceases to be effective on 31 December 2021.

CBAs of 7 April 2021 concerning the Occupational Welfare Fund

The purpose of these CBAs is to make the Occupational Welfare Fund 126 accessible for manual and non-manual workers and to regulate the contribution to the Fund for non-manual workers. This contribution is maintained at 0,23 % of the uncapped wages at 100%, as was the case in JC 200.