Week 2 - in the news

In the news: FNV accepts new pension agreement
Union FNV agrees with the proposal for a new pension agreement. FNV is the biggest union in the Netherlands and consists of nineteen different unions like agriculture, public transport, industry, services and trade. They all represent the members in these sectors. Today the construction union board agreed with the pension plans from the Dutch government so there is a majority in FNV supporting them.

A rational explanation for their approval is that they are satisfied with the result. They have to sell it to their members after all.

The construction union board argued that their decision was based on making a decent agreement with them instead of a bad agreement without them. From a bounded rational perspective the negotiating culture in the Netherlands is about compromises. Even if the initial demand was to raise the pension age to 70, an agreement of 67,5 pension age would be an improvement.

http://www.fnvbouw.nl/nieuws/Pages/Pensioen_Bondsraad_FNV_Bouw_zegt_JA_2138.aspx

Experience workshop Environmental Management System (EMS)
My first intention of making an EMS for our department of a computer company was to think of solutions to improve our environmental performance. Of course the people and profit side must not be neglected so other people rightfully suggested an ambition relative to other companies.
We decided that our company delivers hardware so we are dealing with concrete designs and material flows. During the discussion however it became unclear again because we were talking in terms of modular software and user friendly software. At this point I could have called everyone back to the core. I was doubting if our company really was about hardware so I kept my mouth shut. A lesson is to write decisions down so everyone has their nose in the same direction.
Our final vision was to have modular products that will last a long time. I was not totally agreeing with this vision for a computer company but I was glad we had a coherent product to show.