Pay deals agreed in sector-wide talks were up by an average of 2.1% last year, the highest increase since 2009, the national statistics agency CBS said on Thursday.

That year the effect of the economic crisis still had to be fully felt and wages rose 2.8%. In 2017, wages rose 1.8%, the highest rise in six years.

Unions, economists, prime minister Mark Rutte and the central bank chief have all called for wages to go up because of the improved economic conditions.

Workers are also set to keep more of their income this year because of income tax cuts this year.

In September, the biggest Dutch trade union federation FNV said it is targeting a pay rise of 5% in the coming round of pay and conditions talks, its biggest demand in 30 years.