Nederlands Verbond van Vakverenigingen

The Nederlands Verbond van Vakverenigingen (English: Dutch Association of Trade Unions, NVV) was a Dutch social-democratic trade union.

History

The NVV was founded in 1906 as a merger of fifteen smaller unions, as a result of the inability of the previous unions to control the radical elements of the workers movement in the railworkers' strike of 1903. The NVV was led by Henri Polak, who was a prominent member of the socialist SDAP.

During World War II the NVV was taken over by the German occupiers, its Dutch leader was Mr Woudenberg. Under the German occupation the NVV was transformed into a National Socialist union. After the war these influences were purgued and the NVV cooperated tightly with the centre left government to create a welfare state based on the principles of corporatism.

In the 1970s NVV membership began to decline due to depillarization. Under the leadership of Wim Kok the NVV attempted to form a federation with the Protestant CNV and the Catholic NKV which could strengthen all three. The CNV, however, left the talks in 1973. In 1976 the NVV and the NKV merged to form the FNV.

Ideology

The FNV started out as a socialist union, in favour of class struggle, workers' ownership of the means of production, and the use of strikes. After the second world war it began to moderate its tone, becoming, social-democratic and cooperating in the creation of a welfare state and a corporatist economy.

Organization

The NVV has close formal, ideological and personal links with the socialist SDAP and later with the social-democratic PvdA. Together with the socialist VARA and several other organizations they formed the socialist pillar.