A new Flex Plan for 2023-2027
The current Flex plan expires at the end of this year along with the ruling and so it was necessary for the employer and the unions to sit around the negotiating table again. It became mostly a battle for retention of the existing benefits.
First and foremost is the decision to move to an all-electric fleet. Clearly, this decision, taken at group level, had to be implemented - willy-nilly - in Belgium as well. So it was decided and communicated some months ago to switch to an electric fleet from 01/10/2022. And this even before the negotiations were completed... A decision that will have an impact on a lot of people.
Then lease prices and discounts were juggled like it was nothing. From "lease price -30%" to "TCO -10%" and back only to be told that this is actually the same thing. Meanwhile, people who were in an ordering process saw price levels jump while in the tool....
Of course, it all has to cost a little less for the bank, and so the invoice is passed on to the employee. Resulting in a lower discount for the cars. You had better order your car this year, because from 1 January the Flex discount will drop from 25% to 20% for fleet cars.
This immediately means a surrender of salary for all those with a function car who were given a budget at the time. We therefore regret that we did not find sufficient support from our partners to push for a greater indexation of the Flex budget together with a revision of the budgets for company cars !
This brings us seamlessly to the next problem, namely the financing of these types of cars. Many staff members will have insufficient Flex budget to buy "their dream car". Not to worry! ING is thinking of you and already has a solution ready! You can transfer up to 500 euros to your Flex from your salary.
We would like to warn you not to make such a decision without thinking things through!
First of all, your Flex Budget is not indexed !Our survey shows very clearly that 48% of those surveyed did not know this !!! This is almost incomprehensible and we call on the employer to communicate clearly and correctly about this.
A transfer is irrevocable and irreversible !
The impact goes far beyond just the index. The compensation provided for in the collective labour agreement in the event of a transfer does not fully compensate for all wage losses! (Contact your representative if you want more information on this !).
A transfer from baremic to Flex will slow down your evolution of your Flex even further (= vicious circle !). Again, the compensation in the collective agreement is only one-off at the time of transfer !
Remember that Flex budget is not considered as salary for tax purposes ! With all its consequences.
Conclusion:
The ACLVB/CGSLB has long considered whether it would endorse this proposal. Especially given the current events about purchasing power. It is clear to us that this new plan is no improvement on what existed. The fact that a certain group quickly communicated that it would sign, negated the position of the unions to have a debate on the merits of the future of the flex plan and its evolution, which we regret.
Furthermore, our survey of our delegates and staff shows that opinions are divided. Each person's interest is different.
We felt it was important that safety mechanisms were put in place to limit the damage. For instance, one cannot go below the sector bar scales and the choice to transfer baremic is only possible temporarily. (Please contact our representative before making this choice !) .
Ultimately, it is important to us that you can make a FREE CHOICE in good conscience and with knowledge of the consequences whether or not to take up this new offer.
Also the fact that it is no longer an obligation to transfer baremics to the Flex, as was the case at the start of the negotiations, makes us decide to join this collective labour agreement so that we can ensure a good further follow-up of the implementation of these collective labour agreements by ING.
MedExel
The 21 March 2021 collective agreement already provided for an improvement in the Medexel offer. This collective agreement was not endorsed by the ACLVB/CGSLB. The reason was that the CLA was about a covert restructuring wrapped in a broad media campaign about the introduction of 50%-50% telework at ING. Today, everyone knows the score!
Nor were any concrete substantive modalities laid down in this collective labour agreement as far as MedExel was concerned. Just an empty box!
As ACLVB/CGSLB did not therefore endorse this CLA, we were excluded from further follow-up of this CLA as far as this "promise" regarding MedExel is concerned. Only the signatory parties are further invited to follow up on the collective agreement. After one-and-a-half years of follow-up by the signing parties, no progress was made. Nor could there be, as MedExel is managed by all unions and not one particular fraction.
Result: back to square one ! The file came back to the negotiating table, partly to swallow the bitter pill of the new Flex plan, in order to sell the whole thing as a positive story.
We are happy that the ACLVB/CGSLB was again able to actively participate in improvements to MedExel's offer with a concrete interpretation and end result this time ! Of course, these improvements in coverage come together with an increase in contributions. We regret that ING is not willing to also increase its intervention in this premium yet neither to grant the 25% discount for this choice in the Flex.. Only the tax benefit matters to ING. A gesture from bank to staff would certainly have been appropriate here!
Conclusion:
Given that there is now an improved proposal on the table with the FREE CHOICE for financing (and additional cost) via the flex budget or with net pay, the ACLVB/CGSLB has decided to co-endorse this collective agreement in order to ensure proper follow-up of our group on its implementation.
Do you still have questions? Contact your ACLVB/CGSLB delegate or send your mail to: BE-CGSLB-ACLVB
