Archive

Helsinki (23.03.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) The union confederation SAK is concerned about the situation of men in society. It requests that the government set up a committee to draft a report on the privileges men enjoy and the problems they face to see in which way these are attributable to gender. This would help to better guide future Finnish policy in respect of gender equality.

Helsinki (16.03.2012 - Heikki Jokinen, Juhani Artto) In the 2000's 13 major Finnish-based multinational companies have almost doubled their personnel abroad to about 234,000. In the same period they have cut the number of their employees in Finland by nearly a third to 105,000.

The proportion of their employees working abroad rose, in a decade, from 47 per cent to 69 per cent, researchers Ritva Oesch and Pekka Sauramo report in a new article*.

Employees working abroad for these 13 companies represent approximately 40 per cent of the employees employed by foreign subsidiaries out of all Finnish-based companies.

Helsinki (14.03.2012 - Juhani Artto) In 2011, almost 25 per cent of private sector salaried employees, from 60 to 64 years of age, were given notice by their employers. Among those from 55 to 59 years of age nearly 15 per cent lost their jobs as a result of their employers' decisions. In the age brackets of younger salaried employees the dismissal rate was well below 10 per cent.

These are some of the major findings in a survey published on Wednesday by the salaried employees' trade union Pro. The figures are based on replies given last year by 14,000 rank and file members of the union. These people work, for example, as experts and supervisors in industry and in the service, financial, ICT and communication sectors.

Helsinki (29.02.2012 - Juhani Artto) The relevance of work and willingness to work are diminishing, say a majority of wage and salary earners, according to the latest working life barometer. It was published in January by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE).

Recent annual reports reveal that this trend has been prevalent for a longer time already. In autumn 2011, when the latest material was collected and sifted, it was found that the number of negative replies (making up the majority) was even greater than in previous years.

Helsinki (22.02.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) The union confederation SAK supports the idea of creating a national strategy aimed at attracting foreign investment to Finland. However, SAK is disappointed with the proposals* put forward by Jorma Eloranta, the retired CEO of Metso.

SAK regards the proposals to cut company taxes as "unrealistic" and "unnecessary". The level of company taxation in Finland is nowadays below the average level of Western European countries, SAK points out.

Helsinki (20.02.2012 - Juhani Artto) The daily Helsingin Sanomat reported on February 11 that the board of the union confederation SAK has mandated its President Lauri Lyly to negotiate on the gradual raising of the minimum retirement age, if the average retirement age does not rise as planned.

The labour market organizations and the government have set as their common goal that the average retirement age should be raised to 62.4 years by 2025. In 2011, the figure rose by 0.1 percentage points to 60.5.

Helsinki (08.02.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) Company leadership has a major impact on the ability of employees to perform their work, according to a recent study made by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Investing in good leadership could reduce accidents, the amount of sick leave and general inability to work.

The study is based on information collected from 64 Finnish companies, which together employ 80,000 people. The material covers the years from 2008 to 2011.

Helsinki (06.02.2012 - Heikki Jokinen) The discussion on the proper retirement age is ongoing in Finland, as it is also in many other European countries. Employer organisations are in favour of raising the minimum retirement age, which is now 63.

A new study, published by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, offers some useful suggestions on how to encourage employees to remain longer in working life.

Helsinki (25.01.2012 - Juhani Artto) On Tuesday the High Court made a decision that clearly improves the status of agency labour, says Katarina Murto, a bargaining expert at the union confederation SAK.

The decision rejects the legality of the common practice of manpower agencies to make fixed-term employment agreements based on open-ended assignments procured from user companies.

Helsinki (20.01.2012 - Juhani Artto) What kind of experiences have journalists had, in the course of their work, when dealing with unions and their leaders? And what kind of qualities do journalists appreciate when working with union representatives?

A recent survey throws some light on these matters. The replies from 178 journalists, working at various levels and in various sectors of media organizations, leave no doubt as to what journalists appreciate when it comes to the unions' engagement with the media.

The most important qualities are -in this order- promptness, openness, reliability, availability, willingness to engage, and being up-to-date with the issues at hand.