The FNV aims to safeguard the interests of employees, promote fair labor conditions, and protect workers' rights at the national level.

The federation was founded because of declining membership, due to depillarisation and increasing political polarisation between left and right.

During the 1990s the FNV came into a heavy conflict over reforms of the WAO, the disabled act, with the cabinet Lubbers-III, in which the party's former chair, Kok, was vice-prime minister.

Compared to the CNV, the other major trade union centre, the FNV is more leftwing and has more often used strikes, although the use of these actions is rare in the Netherlands in comparison to other European countries.

The most important function of FNV are the collective bargaining negotiations, on wages and secondary working conditions, it holds with the employers' federations.

The Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) is an important instrument used by the FNV to represent the interests of employees and ensure their employment conditions.

In addition to negotiating collective labour agreements, the FNV also provides extensive individual legal assistance to its members in cases involving work or income-related issues.

Employees who suffer injuries during their work or are affected by diseases resulting from their profession can count on the expertise of the FNV to defend their rights.