Rabobank, Skil-Shimano and Vacansoleil teams looking to align UCI rules with Dutch employment law
The three biggest Dutch teams, Rabobank, Skil-Shimano and Vacansoleil have announced the first ever collective agreement in professional cycling, in a bid to reconcile International Cycling Union (UCI) rules and Dutch employment laws. The proposal, put by the three teams, was accepted by an overwhelming majority of members of the Dutch riders union (VVBW).
The impetus for the agreement reportedly came from the Rabo Cycling teams, which include the Rabobank ProTour and Continental teams as well as the Offroad cyclocross team.
“There have been discrepancies between the UCI regulations and prevailing employment law in our country for quite some time,” said a delighted Harold Knebel, general director of the Rabo Cycling Teams. “The collective agreement has enabled us to iron out those discrepancies.”
One aspect is particularly decisive for all three of the team managers: that of clarity. “Such things as disability, length of contracts, start and ending of contracts are now properly regulated,” said Skil-Shimano manager Iwan Spekenbrink. “This collective agreement contributes to the continued professionalisation of the sport of cycling.”
“The collective agreement is a great way of creating a lot of clarity in the employer-employee relationship,” added Daan Luyckx, manager van Vacansoleil, “but it also got us thinking about the opportunities we offer riders after a career as a professional cyclist.”
The members of the VVBW are reportedly very happy with the collective agreement, which applies retrospectively from the beginning of 2010.
“It’s taken a long time, but this is a milestone in Dutch cycling,” said VVBW secretary John van den Akker.