Helsinki (03.10.2018 - Heikki Jokinen) The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland IL has added its weight to the campaign to defend employees against the planned legislation to ease individual dismissals.
The Union announced an overtime and shift swap ban and a ban on travel connected to work outside normal working hours from the midnight of Friday 5 October. The bans cover the technology and chemical industry and will remain in place until further notice.
Samu Salo, President of the Union says that IL is not joining the one day strike on 3 October but will decide possible next steps together with other unions.
"The Union can not just stand by and watch from the sidelines when the Government makes employment security weaker by unilateral dictate", Salo says in explaining the 70,000 member strong Union decision to take action.
IL, the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland is a member union of Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland. Several other Akava Unions have already taken or announced that they will take industrial action against the planned legislation.
These include the Finnish Association of Public Health Nurses and the Finnish Union of Practical Nurses had an overtime and shift swap ban on 26 - 28 September.
The Finnish Association of Occupational Health Nurses published a press release saying that they are planning industrial action without revealing exactly what measures they intend to take.
Two Akava unions representing mostly employees of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church organised a three days overtime and shift swap ban in September, too. These are Diakoniatyöntekijöiden Liitto that organise various Church employees and Kasvatuksen ja nuorisotyön asiantuntijat KNT which is involved with Christian child, youth and social work.
The largest union within Akava, the 120,000 member strong Trade Union of Education OAJ announced an overtime and shift swap ban in private day care from Monday 8 October. Talentia Union of Professional Social Workers will begin an overtime and shift swap ban in several sectors on Monday 8 October.
Several unions from the two other trade union confederations SAK and STTK have initiated various forms of industrial action to protest against the Government proposal.
All three confederations urge the Government to withdraw the proposal. "Employment rates can only be improved by measures decided together. From now on we must begin trilateral preparations", says Akava on Twitter.
Read more:
Union protests against easing of dismissals widen to include one day strike (01.10.2018)