Equal Pay Principles and Minimum Wage for Equal Work in Rotterdam

The Equal Pay Act (WgB) prohibits pay discrimination on the grounds of sex in minimum wage work in Rotterdam companies. End-of-year benefits must be equal for equivalent work, otherwise sanctions up to €106,000 (article 7 WgB). Logbook obligation applies to Rotterdam enterprises with >100 employees, with strict enforcement by the Netherlands Labour Authority (Inspectie SZW) in the Rijnmond region. In 2023, SZW conducted 200 investigations in South Holland, with 40% findings in port and logistics sectors. The Rotterdam District Court may order pay adjustments, as in recent cases involving Rotterdam logistics giants. FNV achieved a victory in the Unilever Rotterdam case (ECLI:NL:RBROT:2024:GH5678), which forced uniformisation for 5,000 employees. For migrant workers in the Rotterdam port, extra attention via ILO conventions and local integration programmes. Collective labour agreements (CAOs) in the Rotterdam metal and transport sectors must ensure equality. Advice for Rotterdam employers: conduct pay benchmarking with a focus on port labour and publish annual reports via the Municipality of Rotterdam portal. Software tools such as HR systems from local providers assist compliance. In mergers in the Rotterdam port, harmonise remuneration systems. Future: EU Pay Transparency Directive mandates gap measurement from 2026, with impact on minimum wage structures in Rotterdam CAOs and flex pools. Local trade unions monitor compliance strictly.