Trade Union News from Finland
Tekijä (13.11.2024 - Heikki Jokinen) The Orpo-Purra right-wing Government has become involved to an exceptional extent in the workings of the labour market. This is unusual in Finland, where the trade unions and employers' associations have had a wide measure of autonomy to negotiate agreements.
With this new policy, the government has, in fact, made itself a party in labour market issues. This development is not right.
- Labour market issues are becoming politicised. These issues are being put before parliament more and more, which is not a good thing. This diminishes the predictability of the labour market and weakens the possibilities of employees and employers agreeing on matters concerning the issues of their daily life, says Antti Malste, the Head of External Communications in the Industrial Union.
Tekijä (13.11.2024 - Heikki Jokinen) The importance of collective bargaining will not disappear in Finland. Notwithstanding the fact that the Orpo-Purra Government strongly favours employers when it comes to the labour market rules and structures.
- In Finnish society, the importance of collective bargaining is still central. Our labour law still stipulates very little about minimum conditions. These are decided in the generally binding collective agreements, says Antti Malste, the Head of External Communications in the Industrial Union.
The fact that legislation does not define a minimum salary or terms of employment, makes collective bargaining important for all wage and salary earners. Many of the collective agreements are generally binding. These set the minimum terms of employment that every company in the branch must follow.
Tekijä (09.10.2024 - Heikki Jokinen) Riku Aalto, president of the Industrial Union, says that the anti-worker policy of the Finnish Government is creating extra pressures for collective bargaining this autumn. The goal of the union is to improve its members' purchasing power.
The collective bargaining for the technology industry began on 12 September. The existing collective agreement will expire at the end of November.
This time the negotiations will be different. The Orpo-Purra right-wing Government has amended several laws in a way which serves to act against the interests of wage and salary earners. And there’s more to come.
Tekijä (09.10.2024 - Heikki Jokinen) In September, the Orpo-Purra Government published its proposal for local bargaining for company level agreements. This proposal opens the gates for dumping the terms of work.
Up until now, company level bargaining has been based on nationwide collective agreements. It is only allowed for the union shop stewards and the companies belonging to the employers' association.
Now, the right-wing Government is extending the right for local bargaining to all companies. Also, someone other than the union shop steward could make a deal on behalf of employees.
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