Archive

Helsinki (11.06.2012 - Juhani Artto) When the Finnish nuclear power company TVO speaks about the construction site of its third nuclear power plant OL3, it sounds as if the company is either a cynical liar or totally ignorant of the reality on the ground.

On Thursday 7 June 2012 the company released a statement insisting on its strict respect for the legislation, collective agreements and the organizing rights of the employees. It also pledged its assurance that all of its subcontractors, and in turn, all their subcontractors, would follow the same principles

Helsinki (06.06.2012 - Juhani Artto) The Swedish union publication Dagens Arbete surprised its readers on May 3 by claiming that a paperworker cost their employer in Finland over 1.5 times more than in Sweden last year. According to the news an operating employee cost EUR 43 per hour in Finland as opposed to EUR 28 per hour in Sweden on average.

And still according to Dagens Arbete, an operative employee in the pulp and paper industry, wage costs in Finland were not only higher than in Sweden but also higher than in other rich countries. In Germany the average hourly cost to the employer was EUR 36, in Austria EUR 32, in France EUR 31, in the USA EUR 30, in Canada EUR 26 and in Japan EUR 24, Dagens Arbete claimed.

Helsinki (28.05.2012 - Juhani Artto) What is the status of employees in fixed-time jobs and part-time jobs, of agency labour and of self-employed and how to develop and enhance their status? These are the questions on the table of a tripartite task force that was established by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy last year 2011.

The task force published its first report in mid-May. It identifies some major problems these groups face in the labour market. Generally speaking, they do not have all the rights that employees in full-time and permanent employment relations have and also their economic status tends to be lower than that of their full-time, permanent job colleagues.

Helsinki (21.05.2012 - Juhani Artto) In the 2000s, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Sweden have waged an active labour market policy. They have continuously reformed their labour markets in order to balance supply and demand.

All four countries have succeeded fairly well in this demanding task, at least when comparing their achievements with other EU Member States. In these four countries employment rates are higher and unemployment rates lower than in EU Member States on average.

Helsinki (09.05.2012 - Juhani Artto) In the Finnish labour market ethnic minorities face discrimination at the recruitment stage in particular. At work places and in termination situations ethnic discrimination is not as common as at the recruitment stage. These are some of the major findings in a new study* on discrimination in the labour market.

The study covers all labour-related categories and all grounds prohibited under the Finnish Non-Discrimination Act. According to the study, other grounds, such as age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion and opinion, do not lead to labour discrimination as frequently as ethnicity (and nationality and language, which are closely related to ethnicity).

Helsinki (04.05.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) An overwhelming majority of Finns regard it as necessary for wage and salary earners to join a union. When asked how necessary it is to organize 46 per cent of the respondents say it to be "very necessary" and another 46 per cent "rather necessary".

This is among the most important findings in a survey covering the population from the age of 15 upwards. The statistically representative sample was 1,000 and the individual interviews were made in March 2012. The survey was commissioned by the three trade union confederations SAK, STTK and Akava.

Helsinki (26.04.2012- Heikki Jokinen) The tax base was narrowed in 2010 by as much as 675 million euro due to the shortcomings in asserting control over the foreign labour force in Finland. In real terms this meant an actual loss in tax revenues of approximately 100 - 150 million euro.

The figures are from a recent report on the efficacy of regulations concerning foreign labour in Finland. It is written by a senior researcher into the black economy, Mr. Markku Hirvonen, and commissioned by the National Police Board.

Helsinki (16.04.2012 - Juhani Artto) The latest statistics on work accidents reveal a fairly alarming trend. Despite the best efforts of individuals and organizations to reduce the number of work accidents there has been a marked increase in 2011-up by over six per cent from 2010. And this follows an earlier five per cent rise in 2010.

This worsening trend can also be seen from the changes in the overall accident rate. Between 2009 and 2011 it rose by over eight per cent. Thus, the annual variation of economic activity does not offer any real comfort when studying the statistics.

Helsinki (11.04.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) The Finnish pension insurance company Ilmarinen says it may withdraw it's investments from the Finnish auto parts company PKC due to the restrictions being placed on trade union work in their Mexican factory.

PKC's Mexican subsidiary Arneses y Accesorios de Mexico signed a collective agreement with a union the workers do not want to represent them. Three union presidents in Finland, Riku Aalto (Finnish Metalworkers' Union), Antti Rinne (Pro) and Pertti Porokari (Union of Professional Engineers), sent a letter to PKC’s CEO to protest vigorously at the decision that had been taken by management.

Helsinki (28.03.2012 - Juhani Artto) The three union confederations in Finland - SAK, STTK and Akava - regard it as impossible to approve the European Commission's proposal concerning the right to strike. The proposal was published on March 21.

The Commission wants to define, with the so-called Monti II Regulation, the relationship between the right to take industrial action and the freedom of establishment (right to set up and operate a business from any member state) and freedom to provide services.