Helsinki (06.12.2009 - Juhani Artto) The dues or contributions paid by an employee to his or her unemployment fund depend on the unemployment rate in that industry. At present the rate in the engineering, electronic and wood-working industries is clearly above the average. Consequently, members of the unemployment funds in these industries have to pay high dues towards their unemployment insurance.
The levelling system slightly helps to reduce the highest contributions, but this year only EUR3m is being used for levelling. The unemployment insurance fund had budgeted EUR10m for levelling but the employer representatives, taking advantage of their majority on the board, decided to set aside only EUR3m for the purpose.
Representatives of the Wood and Allied Workers' Union accuse the employer side of ideologically motivated behaviour, at the expense of those workers who have to pay the highest unemployment insurance contributions.
Petteri Raito, the editor of the union's magazine Särmä, demands that next year, as unemployment is rising, more than EUR10m has to be allocated for levelling purposes. And the decision-making procedure in the unemployment insurance fund must be reformed so that the employers will not be in a position to coldly ignore the wishes of the employee representatives.