Zuidberg Works Council

There has been an active Works Council (WC) at Zuidberg since 2012. Johan Bakker and Sharon Veen are two of the nine members of the current Works Council. “We operate between the management and the employees. We are the mouthpiece of the staff and we stand up for their interests.”

Johan Bakker, Project Manager in the Sales Department, put himself forward as a candidate when some members of the WC resigned in 2019. Johan: “As a WC member, you get to experience much more of the workings of the company than other employees, and we have the right to consent or advise on the major changes that are planned. It is, therefore, an exciting and responsible position.”

Johan's colleague, Sharon Veen, joined the WC two years after Johan. At the time, there were more candidates than places, so it had to be decided by a vote. Sharon received enough votes to be allowed to join. “I thought it would be interesting to be part of the WC, partly for my own personal development,” says the employee from the Cutting Department. “That expectation has been more than fulfilled. I have learned to share my opinion, and to say what I think. And by being a member of the Works Council, I can show that I care about the company and my colleagues. I want to be there for them.”

Questions around working from home and the travel allowance
These are turbulent times, for society, in general, and for Zuidberg and the Works Council, in particular. Johan: “All the measures surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak had significant consequences. The introduction of working from home was new to everyone. Nobody used to work at home, but they suddenly had to during the lockdowns. There is no such obligation anymore, but the market is still asking for it. We get all kinds of questions about it. That also applies to the travel allowance. It’s possible that the untaxed mileage allowance will be increased from 19 to 21 cents. This will have all kinds of consequences and raises many questions. The high price of petrol also elicits a lot of reactions.”

Photo caption: In this article, Johan Bakker and Sharon Veen represent Zuidberg's Works Council which consists of nine people in total. In addition to Johan and Sharon, they are Cor van den Berg, Herman de Ruiter, Martin Kamphuizen, Tim Boltendal, Alwin Boer, Frans Brouwer en Klaasbert de Boer

Safety as the most important item
The Works Council has various small committees, each responsible for a specific topic. For example, Johan is part of the Financial Committee, while Sharon forms the Safety Committee with two of her colleagues. Sharon: “Safety is probably the most important item for us as a Works Council. We are highly proactive in this, always keeping our ears and eyes open to pick up signals from our colleagues. We make sure that we know what’s going on. If an accident or near-miss has occurred, we get involved. Was something unsafe? Did something criminal happen? We get to see the health and safety documents and ask critical questions about them.”

Meeting with the management team
As a member of the Works Council, you serve a four-year term. You can then stand for re-election. Johan: “As a WC member, you get to know a lot about the company and its operations, much more than your colleagues. It makes you more involved in the company, and that motivates you in your work. Of course, it does require some extra time commitments. Our Chairman and Secretary meet with Director, Jeroen Zuidberg, four times a year. Once a year, they meet with the full management team and the Supervisory Board and every six months, the entire Works Council meets with Jeroen. We also meet with each other eight times a year.”

During the meetings between the management and the WC, a wide range of topics come up for discussion. Johan and Sharon: “Jeroen Zuidberg is very open about everything. His plans for the future, the financial outlook: he shares it all with us. But he does so in confidence because the position of Works Council member involves a duty of confidentiality. That means we cannot share everything with the other colleagues. Minutes are taken during the meetings and published on the intranet afterwards. This allows all the employees to read what has been discussed. Both management and employees want the best for the company. We, as the Works Council, actively contribute to this.”