The new Cleaning Industry Collective Labor Agreement 2026 has been finalized.
Employer organization Schoonmakend Nederland and trade unions FNV and CNV reached a negotiation agreement for the cleaning and window cleaning sector on May 18, 2026. The collective labor agreement runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. Below you can read what will change and what we, as a regional cleaning company from Haarlem, think about it.
What will change in the 2026 Cleaning Industry Collective Labor Agreement?
The key agreements from the deal at a glance:
- Salary: 6.1 percent wage increase in two stages, 3.1 percent from January 1, 2027 and 3 percent from January 1, 2028.
- Travel expenses: from January 1, 2027, a full travel expense reimbursement from door to door, 23 euro cents per kilometer and potentially increasing to 25 cents.
- Loyalty bonus: a gross bonus of €1,000 for employees who have worked in the industry for twenty years or more on January 1, 2027.
- Permanent contract: employees will receive a permanent contract sooner, after a maximum of three temporary contracts within 21 months instead of 24 months.
- Sick leave: new salary continuation scales during illness from July 1, 2026.
Hotel cleaning: employees in wage group 1 step 3 will also receive the Sunday allowance from now on.
Wages will increase by 6.1 percent
Cleaning staff will receive a total wage increase of 6.1 percent. The increase will be implemented in two stages: 3.1 percent on January 1, 2027 and 3 percent on January 1, 2028. Employers and unions will also adjust the salary scales to maintain a gap with the statutory minimum wage. The sector does not want to become a minimum wage industry. Strong employment conditions help attract and retain staff.
Full travel expense reimbursement from 2027
The biggest change in the 2026 Cleaning Industry Collective Labor Agreement is the travel expense reimbursement. From January 1, 2027, everyone who travels to work will receive reimbursement from door to door. The reimbursement amounts to 23 euro cents per kilometer and may increase to 25 cents. The reimbursement will be paid together with the salary. Around 85,000 employees who currently receive no reimbursement will immediately benefit. Cleaning companies will have until 2027 to align these costs with their clients.
New agreements on illness and development
Salary continuation during illness will change. From July 1, 2026, new scales will apply: 85 percent of daily wages for employees with up to 2 years of service, 90 percent between 2 and 6 years, and 100 percent for employees with more than 6 years of service. For employers, this provides more control over the high absenteeism costs in the sector. In addition, agreements will be made on training, digital skills, preventive medical examinations, and a central reporting point for needle-stick incidents.
What do we think about the new Cleaning Industry Collective Labor Agreement?
As a regional cleaning company from Haarlem, we closely follow the collective labor agreement. Reino Interieurverzorgers sees the new 2026 Cleaning Industry Collective Labor Agreement as a fair result. The 6.1 percent wage increase matches the current economy and keeps cleaning work attractive. Finding and retaining good employees is our biggest challenge.
We consider the full travel expense reimbursement the most important step. Cleaning staff often work at changing locations throughout the region. No one should have to pay out of pocket to get to work. At the same time, this means we will discuss these costs with our clients. We count on their understanding, because a fair price belongs with fair work.
We are transparent about the new sick leave arrangement: it requires attention. The adjusted scales give employers more control over absenteeism, but our focus remains on prevention and proper guidance. Employees who feel valued are less likely to call in sick. We will continue investing in that. Do you have questions about what the new agreements mean for you? Feel free to contact us.
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This article is based on reports from Schoonmakend Nederland, CNV, and Facto about the collective labor agreement result of May 18, 2026:
Schoonmakend Nederland, Ruim 6% meer loon en volledige reiskostenvergoeding voor schoonmakers, 18 mei 2026.
CNV, Cao-resultaat: schoonmakers krijgen voortaan maximale reiskostenvergoeding, 18 mei 2026.
Facto, Cao schoonmaak: er is een akkoord, schoonmakers 6,1 procent meer loon, 18 mei 2026.
