Two vice-presidents are fighting for the top position in the FNV | union NOW

FNV Deputy Chairs Kitty Jong and Tuur Elzinga are the only candidates who could succeed current union chairman Han Busker in March. The two were nominated as candidates by the union parliament on Friday. The almost one million members of the largest Dutch trade union will be able to vote from February 4th.

It comes as no surprise that the two vice-presidents will battle it out for chairmanship: Both 56-year-old Young and 51-year-old Elzinga announced earlier that they would be fighting for the top spot in the union.

Jong, who as FNV director is responsible for health care, working conditions and social security, agreed in September NRC that she wants to assert herself as a potential FNV chairperson, especially in the last two cases mentioned. “In terms of content, I don’t want social security to be impaired any further. And that we really take steps to combat the flexibilisation of the labor market,” says Jong.

Elzinga, who became particularly well known last year during the negotiations on the pension contract, advocates a minimum wage of 14 euros for everyone over the age of eighteen. “Good work that pays off and offers security must become the norm again,” said Elzinga when presenting his candidacy.

All FNV members can vote for one of the candidates from February 4, 2021. The election results will be announced on March 10, 2021 and the member parliament will appoint the FNV chairman for the period 2021-2025.