Frequently asked questions CLA catering

We do not know that yet. Veneca has not yet officially announced which members have cancelled and which have not. However, we understand that employers have informed their employees whether or not they have cancelled. 

The CLA contract catering is valid until 1 January 2026. The AVV (generally binding declaration) will also expire on that date. 

Fixed-term

• Does your contract end and you sign a new contract before 1 January 2026? Then the agreements from the CLA catering will continue to apply to you. Even after 1 January 2026. 
• Does your contract end after 1 January 2026 and you get a new contract? The CLA catering remains applicable if you sign a new contract with reference to the CLA. Even after 1 January 2026.

Indefinite

Is your employer currently a member of Veneca (the employers' association)? Then there is continued effect: the CLA contract catering continues to apply to your contract. Only when your employer becomes a member of another employers' association that belongs to a different CLA, can that CLA start to apply to you. 

Note! Your employment conditions cannot simply be worsened. The better employment conditions of the new CLA will apply to you. The worse employment conditions initially will not. This does not apply to all your employment conditions. If you are facing a change in your employment conditions, please contact us directly via the contact page. 

No. At the moment, the contract catering sector is excluded from the CLA hospitality. However, it may be that your employer offers more hospitality than contract catering and can therefore join KHN (the employers' association in the hospitality industry). If your employer becomes a member of KHN, then the CLA hospitality will apply. If this is the case for you, be sure that your employment conditions cannot simply deteriorate. If you notice this or have questions about your employment conditions, please contact us.

At this moment, no new salary increases have been agreed upon. If new salary increases are to occur, agreements must first be made. Currently, this is not being discussed. We are doing everything possible to make good agreements with your employer even after 1 January 2026. 

Your employer can agree on an AVR with the works council but also with the trade unions. This is already possible. For you, this means that in addition to the CLA contract catering, additional agreements are made that apply only to you and your colleagues. Even after 1 January 2026, additional employment conditions can be agreed upon. Whether these are in addition to the CLA contract catering, in addition to another CLA, or as a basis for you depends on your situation. Do you want more information? Contact us or read: What does this mean for my contract?

No, that's not necessary. Are you getting a new contract anyway? Present it to us first. It could be that your employer, by offering a new contract, wants to apply different employment terms to you. This could result in a deterioration. We are happy to review it with you. 

Absolutely. Now more than ever, your membership with De Horecabond is particularly important. Not only do you receive legal advice, but you and your other colleagues who are members also ensure that your employment conditions remain well-organised. We will do everything possible to continue making good agreements with your employer. This can be through establishing a company CLA, a good employment conditions arrangement, and also when there are issues such as during reorganisation or merger. In such cases, we make agreements with your employer, for example, in a social plan or takeover protocol. We continue to strive for strong and fair agreements, so that working in the hospitality industry remains rewarding.

Continued effect means that the agreements from the CLA (partially) remain valid for your Updates contract, even after 1 January 2026. 

Many questions are coming your way now. Your employer might also approach you with the request to agree on an AVR together. Whether you and your fellow works council members want this is something you need to coordinate with each other. Concluding an AVR is a significant responsibility. Not every works council can foresee all the consequences. The risk of deterioration is real, and the relationship with the employer can come under pressure. We support you gladly with advice or guidance. 

We regret the situation that has arisen. De Horecabond has engaged in many discussions with employers over the past years, and although we certainly do not always agree, we have always tried to maintain the best possible dialogue. Even now, we continue to strive for a strong, beautiful, and attractive sector and aim for an appropriate solution. How the solution will look should become clear in the coming period.

As it currently stands, there will be a period without a CLA. This means that from 1 January 2026, no new CLA contract catering will be agreed upon. The CLA does have continued effect, also read: What does this mean for my contract?

That depends on your contract and new agreements. Read: What does this mean for my contract?

No, you don't need to do anything at the moment. Are you receiving a new offer or is your employer changing something? And are you unsure? Please contact us immediately via contact.

The first answer is no. There are exceptions to this, but they do not apply at the moment. If you would like more information on this, read: What does this mean for my contract? and Will I then automatically be covered by the CLA hospitality?

Which employers are still willing to negotiate, we do not yet know. Clarity on this will need to come quickly. However, we do know from some employers we have spoken to that they want to arrange things well for their employees. We will certainly continue discussions with these employers. We have not yet been able to speak with other employers, but we will certainly take the initiative in this matter.

A company CLA is among the possibilities. We will need to look at how the employment conditions are arranged for each employer. As the developments are still very recent, we have not yet been able to discuss this with employers. Fortunately, there is still some time for that. The Updates CLA contract catering runs until the end of 2025.

That is difficult to say. We receive new information every day. We hope to sit down with employers in September. Which employers these will be and what will come of it is not yet certain. We will keep you informed. We are doing everything we can to arrange this properly for you and your colleagues.

So far, employers mainly refer to the CLA hospitality. The reasons they provide can be found in the message from Veneca.

No. You are still covered under the catering sector and are therefore in the right place with De Horecabond. 

No. The representativeness is calculated based on the number of employees working in contract catering. This takes into account the activities performed. The employers who have now terminated still carry out activities in catering. Therefore, they are still included in the total.

We don't know that yet. We will be talking to employers in the coming period about solutions that are beneficial for our members. As soon as there is clarity, we will report it.

At the moment, we are still focusing on a sector CLA. This is possible even with fewer employers. However, that CLA can no longer be declared generally binding; employers who do not sign are not automatically bound by it. If a sector CLA proves impossible, we will explore company CLAs. Our principle remains that we want to have things well organised for our members.

It is too early to say that now. The news is still fresh and we need to talk to employers first. That does not rule out action in the future. We will keep you informed.

Not at the moment. In the coming period, we will discuss this and need to make arrangements. As soon as we know more about this, we will announce it.

Yes, you retain your ADV (senior days) as long as the CLA catering Part A applies to you. This is the case as long as you do not sign a new employment contract (or amendment) or as long as no new CLA becomes applicable.

Yes, that is certainly possible. Here you can find more information about the contribution refund.