The Members’ Meeting of De Horecabond approved a proposed merger with FNV MOOI, the union for employees in personal care, such as hairdressers and nail stylists, on Monday, 1 June. With this, De Horecabond is explicitly choosing growth, more clout, and a stronger position for workers in people-oriented sectors.
According to secretary-treasurer Erwin Gosselink and chairman Edwin Vlek, the merger aligns with the ambition to continue to robustly advocate for employees in hospitality and related sectors in the future. “The condition is that the due diligence does not reveal financial, fiscal, or legal risks that are too large or insufficiently manageable,” emphasise Gosselink and Vlek.
According to Vlek, the merger also fits the mandate given to De Horecabond by the members. “Part of that mandate is that we dare to be innovative and seize opportunities that ensure we can continue to strongly advocate for employees in hospitality in the future. That’s why we also explicitly presented the choice to our members, because ultimately they always have the final say.”
Gosselink: “We are convinced that this is the right step. We have had intensive consultations with the supervisory board in recent times, which strongly supports this course. But ultimately, our members determine the direction of the association. As Edwin says: our members have the final say.”
More similarities than differences
The merger with FNV MOOI is less strange than it seems, Gosselink underlines: “You always look at which sectors are adjacent to each other. Two years ago, we already talked about the ‘wine at the hairdresser’ as an example of how sectors increasingly overlap. Such developments lead to discussions when a request arises.”
Gosselink continues: “We see more parallels: the flexibilisation of labour, the increase in freelancers. Moreover, these are all sectors where the human aspect is very important. You also see this in education: hospitality and wellness are one direction in various courses.”
Vlek: “Hospitality is what binds the sectors. On the other hand, you also see similar challenges: attracting and retaining talent and the undervaluation of the profession. In many cases, it seems to be about jobs that you could just do, while there is actually a lot of craftsmanship, Insights, and human work behind it.”
Why is this merger good for the members of De Horecabond?
Vlek: “The starting point for everything we do is that it serves our members. This merger increases our clout. As a result, we can lobby more strongly, expand our advocacy, and invest more in member support. This was not feasible from De Horecabond alone.”
Gosselink: “Additionally, we can invest in a stronger organisation behind the scenes, for legal support, company visits, and innovation. We can also invest in, for example, multilingualism, where we are already making progress.”
The sectors in which FNV MOOI advocates for workers’ rights often overlap with the recreation, catering, and hospitality sectors, Gosselink outlines. “You can already see it in wellness at hotels and the drink at the hairdresser. In the United States, it goes even further: there you already have places where you drink a power shake for breakfast while receiving a beauty treatment.”
Vlek: “By merging, you also prevent unions from different sectors sitting at the same companies' tables and fragmenting the conversation about employment conditions. We want to prevent similar work from being divided across different CLAs. Workers benefit from clear agreements and strong representation. This way, we are building a future-proof union that stands stronger in a rapidly changing labour market.”
What is the next step?
“Now that the Members’ Meeting has approved, the accountant will investigate the finances of FNV MOOI,” answers Gosselink. “If there are no insurmountable objections, we will carefully work on merging the organisations, with consideration for all employees. Ultimately, it means that the Members’ Meeting will officially ratify the merger in June 2027.”
How does De Horecabond ensure the union remains recognisable to all members?
“We will continue to approach each sector with a recognisable identity,” emphasises Vlek. “For members, the daily service must remain good and recognisable. What they should mainly notice is more Insights, reach, and clout. Additionally, our members will also encounter members of FNV MOOI at, for example, the Members’ Meeting.”
De Horecabond will continue to work sector-focused and advocate for employees in each sector individually, the two representatives emphasise. “Campaigns and advocacy must fit the sector for which they are intended. At the same time, we share the common foundation that a strong union needs. This is exactly the same with the MOOI sectors. The hairdresser does not contribute to hospitality campaigns and vice versa.”
Will there be any change to the name?
“We are officially the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging Horecabond, with the brand name De Horecabond. Within that structure, FNV MOOI will soon have a recognisable place, alongside the Updates sectors of De Horecabond,” Vlek asserts. De Horecabond will therefore remain De Horecabond. “When it comes to a name change of the association, it is up to the members.”
De Horecabond has a long history of mergers. The federation of which De Horecabond is a part was formed through various amalgamations over the more than 125 years that the union has existed. This began with the Dutch Central Union of Staff in the Hotel, Café, and Restaurant Industry to the affiliation of FNV Recreation with the union.