Vion's statement on good employment practices for temporary workers

Vion has taken note of Minister Van Hijum’s statements regarding temporary workers in the meat sector. The minister indicated that if meat companies fail to improve conditions for temporary workers, he wants the option to ban the use of temporary workers in the sector altogether. He is also considering setting a minimum percentage of permanent employees. While Vion agrees on the importance of improving the situation for temporary workers, the company does not agree with the minister’s arguments and remains committed to being a responsible employer for all its employees, every day.

Temporary workers at Vion

Vion currently employs around 6,800 people in the Netherlands, both directly and through temporary employment agencies. Temporary workers are crucial due to fluctuating workloads and the insufficient local labour supply in the Netherlands. As a result, Vion also employs temporary staff from other EU countries. Many of our flexible workers choose to work with us on a temporary basis and prefer to do so through temporary employment agencies.

Working and living conditions.

To ensure an equal social safety net for all our employees, Vion has adhered to the following principles for years:

1. Vion does not use so-called A1 contracts.
2. Vion only works with employment agencies that operate from a Dutch branch.
3. Employees’ wages are determined by collective labor agreements (CLAs), either those of the sectors Vion is affiliated with or the CLA for the temporary employment industry.
4. All employment agencies must be certified according to the SNA standard (Stichting Normering Arbeid), which specifically monitors the proper payment of employees.
5. All temporary work agencies must be certified according to the SNF standard (Stichting Normering Flexwonen), which focuses on the accommodation of employees.
6. Vion also conducts additional checks: a. Payroll audits for employees hired through employment agencies; b. Inspections of the living conditions of employees placed by these agencies.

Through these measures, Vion ensures that all employees benefit from the social safety net applicable to all workers in the Netherlands, even in cases of illness or when the employment relationship ends.

Diversity and inclusiveness
Vion actively encourages its employees to become permanent employees. Over the past three years, we have hired about 900 foreign employees, who were previously employed through temporary employment agencies, on a permanent basis. We consider it important to actively promote the integration of all employees within Vion and in society, including our flex workers. Among other things, we offer our employees various language courses, tailor-made familiarisation programmes, career opportunities and housing support through the external service providers.

Vion has launched the national “Work In NL” hotline to provide temporary workers with independent information and help on issues such as pay, housing, care and health. Work In NL is a continuation of the BMIP (Brabant Migration Information Point), a government initiative in cooperation with municipalities.

Within an international company like Vion, diversity and inclusiveness are important themes. To create an enjoyable and safe working environment, Vion offers so-called country weeks in the canteens (including menus based on different country themes), corporate communication in different languages, native-speaking field coaches as points of contact and support and simplified communication via pictograms and other visualisations.

Whether an employee is self-employed or works through a temporary agency, at Vion every employee is treated equally. By working together with municipalities and other social bodies, we also encourage the influx of people with a labour disability, status holders or other target groups.