The Dutch CNV trade union wants the government to finance language classes for cleaning staff. The union says that there are considerable language deficiencies among the 150,000 workers in the cleaning sector, about half of whom are of immigrant origin.

The latest collective labour agreement for cleaning workers states that new employees should be offered a Dutch language course. The CNV points out that neither employers nor the unions have the means to set up such courses, and is appealing to the Minister of Integration, Eberhard van der Laan, to step in.

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