Provisions of the 2026–2027 Grafimedia collective agreement are now generally binding for employers within its scope. The agreement sets wage changes in two steps and introduces a new pay structure. Payroll costs are rising while many paper and graphic businesses still have weak order books.
Why this matters
Industry collective wages rose 4.2% year on year in the third quarter of 2026. Paper and graphic turnover fell 0.6% in the second quarter. September activity expectations improved, but the order-position indicator remained negative. Payroll leaves the bank on fixed dates. Customer receipts do not. An old quote, fixed-price contract, overtime, rework, or late invoice can reduce a job’s margin. Whether the agreement applies depends on the work performed, not only the trade-register label.
Example
A print company priced a customer job last month using its old internal labor rate. The customer accepts after the new payroll terms take effect. A full schedule requires overtime. Extra work is completed but never added to the invoice. Payment arrives after payroll and tax are due. Revenue comes in, yet the margin falls and cash arrives late. A revised labor rate would have shown the gap before the quote was accepted.
XTROVERSO tips
- Confirm scope and effective dates. Check the official agreement and general-binding declaration. Match the scope rules to the work your company performs. Record effective dates and exclusions in the payroll file.
- Convert the wage steps into euros. Calculate the monthly effect for each employee group. Include employer costs, allowances, overtime, and any confirmed one-off payment. Check job classifications and part-time calculations.
- Refresh quotation rates. Update the labor rate for every new quote. Separate work already sold from work still awaiting a price. Flag quotations that remain valid for a long time.
- Review contracts and open jobs. Check fixed prices, indexation clauses, and low-margin work. Find unbilled changes, rework, and rush production. Decide who may approve work below the target margin.
- Put payroll into the cash plan. Build a 13-week cash view using actual dates. Include payroll, tax, supplier payments, and expected customer receipts. Chase invoices before a cash gap reaches payroll day.
- Protect skills and productive hours. Review overtime, absence, setup time, waste, and reliance on key staff. A thin order book can still leave a skills gap. Review production, sales, payroll, and finance together each month.
Need a clear view of the payroll, pricing, and cash impact on your business? We can help map the next steps
The data, sourcing, and analysis behind this article were conducted by Linda Pavan. AI was not used to identify sources, build the factual basis, or produce the analytical judgment contained here. AI was used only as a drafting aid. The final English text was personally reviewed, edited, and approved by Linda Pavan before publication.
References
- Cao Grafimedia 2026-2027 algemeen verbindend verklaard: loonsverhoging in twee stappen · Salaris Vanmorgen
- CBS - National collective wage-cost benchmark
- CBS - Paper and graphic industry revenue
- CBS - Orders and business confidence in paper and graphic industry
- CBS - Investment restraint in the sector
- UWV - Labour-market constraint shifts in industry
- CBS - Inflation and employee purchasing pressure
- CBS - Collective wages rose 4.0% in the third quarter
