JHL (16.09.2014 – Heikki Jokinen) JHL local chapters for those working for the City of Helsinki will take industrial action against the planned corporatisation of several public services by the city. This will stop trams and underground metro trains in Helsinki for one day on Tuesday 23 September 2014.
The goal of the stoppage is to show that city employees are opposed to the corporatisation of city services currently run by the municipal enterprise Palmia which takes care of city real estate services, catering services, cleaning services, security services and telephone and well-being services.
The plan was voted on in the City Group Division of the City Board earlier in September. Five Division members supported corporatisation and four for keeping Palmia as a municipal enterprise. The City Council will vote on the matter a day after the JHL action.
If the City Council supports the proposal, many municipal services will be transferred to outside actors.
”The neutrality demanded by the competition legislation does not require corporatisation of Palmia services”, says JHL Helsinki district chair Merja Ruotsalainen.
”Palmia work has been made more efficient as a municipal enterprise in cooperation with the staff. And it is possible to continue this work. As a result of corporatisation the collective agreements will be diluted and the salaries of those who already have a small salary will be lowered”, she says.
Palmia is only the beginning of a trend aimed at weakening employee benefits. Other municipal functions are also being driven to a similar situation, JHL believes.
JHL has been working hard to get the voice of Palmia employees heard by decision makers. The only option left open to workers is to stop their work, and now it seems that this is necessary. The situation is unfortunate for both employees and the city inhabitants.
”But we have to listen the voice of our members”, says Palmia shop steward Eija Paananen. ”There is a strong feeling among our people: this is enough now!”
All work directly connected to citizens' life, health and security will not be affected by the industrial action and will function normally.