Archive

Helsinki (10.06.2004 – Irmeli Palmu) The German retail chain Lidl is moving forward on many fronts and conquering new markets. However, it keeps everything under wraps and infringes the rights of its employees in many countries.

In Finland Lidl is one employer among many. It has joined the employers' federation, engaged in negotiations with the trade union movement, and shop stewards have been elected at its workplaces. Its operations in Finland began in 2002 under the impenetrable shroud of secrecy that has become the company hallmark. 

Lidl currently has about 60 retail outlets in Finland, meaning that it has expanded on average by almost one outlet per week after the first outlet opened 18 months ago. Lidl has one distribution centre and another is under construction. It has about 100 warehouse workers and about 900 shop workers. All of the figures for both Finland and other European countries are estimates, because of the secrecy observed by the enterprise. By all accounts, however, Lidl is expanding at a furious pace.

Helsinki (27.05.2004 – Juhani Artto) How do Finnish-based multinationals behave away from home, and especially in remote developing countries? This is a question that also interests the Finnish trade union movement. The most thorough way to investigate this issue is through studies made by recognised research institutes with close links to the trade unions.

A study* of the employer policy of Nokia Plc at its plant in Manaus in Brazil has attracted considerable attention. This was clear, for example, from the interest shown in the report that we publicised here (New study on working conditions: Nokia employer policies in Brazil respectable, but concerns voiced about shares of various stakeholders).

Helsinki (17.05.2004 - Daryl Taylor*) This news (Construction industry parties co-operate: New guidebook explains regulations on use of foreign labour) comes at an interesting time. My own impression is that the construction industry organisations would be wise either to defer publication of their guidebook for at least a few weeks or to be prepared to publish a revised edition after the summer.

This is because a comprehensive revision of Finland's immigration legislation took effect on 1 May 2004. Several migrant workers have reported to me on the implementation of the new system over the last two weeks. These reports strongly suggest that it will be some time before the State officials develop an understanding of the new arrangements.

No detailed administrative regulations have yet been issued, and even the basic application documents have not yet been produced in their final form.

Helsinki (17.05.2004 - Juhani Artto) Construction and catering are the two industries in Finland in which unofficial labour has gained the strongest foothold. The highest estimates suggest that the number of illegal migrant workers on construction sites has jumped from a handful to several thousand over the last few years. To reverse this unhealthy trend, the construction industry labour market organisations have now jointly published a guidebook on the regulations governing the use of foreign labour.

The new materials are aimed at construction industry employers using foreign labour. The guidebook is published by the Finnish Construction Trade Union and the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries – RT.

Helsinki (07.05.2004) A recently published new study* by researcher Arja Haapakorpi focuses on the employment prospects of young university educated Russian and Estonian immigrants in Finland. The summary of the study gives an idea of the difficulties facing even academically qualified immigrants in the Finnish labour market

Summary

Helsinki (07.05.2004 – Arja Haapakorpi) The study examined the employment history, education and future orientation of young immigrants and of immigrants with university degrees. While the careers of immigrant university graduates were often unstable, one third secured professional employment. Although their professional status was usually inferior in Finland compared to the country of origin, a small group of immigrants had been more successful in the Finnish labour market. This finding reflects the collapse of the Soviet Union labour market, which forced graduate professionals to take casual employment. Most immigrants in Finland are from the former USSR.

Helsinki (29.04.2004 - SAK) The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions - SAK, the Employers' Confederation of Service Industries - PT and the Private Employment Agencies Association have agreed on recommendations whereby the contract concluded between an employment agency and its client would specify the principle of compliance with Finnish legislation and standard conditions of employment.

The organisations have agreed that the pay rates prescribed in Finnish collective agreements must always be paid for work done in Finland. The aim of the recommendation is to ensure the legality of labour moving between Finland and Estonia or the other Baltic States within the enlarged European Union.

Although Finland will introduce a two-year transition period for labour mobility following European Union enlargement on 1 May, the movement of services will be entirely deregulated in Finland at this time. Leasing of agency labour constitutes trade in services, and so the transition period for labour mobility will not apply to employment agency operations.

Helsinki (23.04.2004 – Juhani Artto) A new report*, published by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, now provides a broad picture of trends in Finnish working conditions over the last few years. While some changes give cause for concern, the overall trend is favourable.

The extensive report, which is available as a pdf document, includes an eleven-page summary in English. To give an idea of the findings of the study, some examples of both positive and negative developments and of areas in which conditions have largely remained unchanged are listed below. Readers who find these examples interesting may follow the link at the end of this report to download the summary published on the Institute’s website.

Helsinki (23.04.2004 - Juhani Artto) The total size of the workforce (both employed and unemployed) was 2.6 million in 2002, and included three out of four people aged between 15 and 64 years.

The large post-war age band (the "baby boom" generation) is now approaching 60 years of age, and more than a quarter of the employed workforce is at least 50 years old, whereas in 1994 the share of over-50s was only 19 per cent. During the past few years the average retirement age of about 59 years has remained unchanged.

At the end of 2002 there were 2.4 million employed and 240,000 unemployed persons. In 2002 about 87 per cent of persons in gainful occupations were wage and salary earners.

Helsinki (08.04.2004 – Juhani Artto) Estonia’s accession to the European Union on 1 May 2004 will have no significant impact on employment in the Finnish graphical industry. Thus conclude the three experts interviewed at the end of January by Kirjatyö, the magazine of the Media Union, which represents wage and salary earners in the graphical industry.

The substantial difference in average pay between Finland and Estonia will not mean the export of jobs and work in the graphical industry to the southern side of the Gulf of Finland. “Estonia still lacks the production capacity necessary to enable production of more demanding works,” argues Esa Honka, CEO of Hansaprint, one of the leading graphic media service providers in the Baltic Sea Region.

Helsinki (01.04.2004 – Juhani Artto) Since January 1998 Trade Union News from Finland has been financed by several Finnish trade union organisations. Originally there were twelve such organisations, but a few years ago the merger of two unions reduced the number of sponsors to eleven.

Today the sponsoring group again changes slightly as the publication gains one new sponsor and loses another. The new sponsor is the Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland – SASK. This organisation is well known in the trade union movements of many developing countries in which SASK has, since the late 1980s, actively supported work to strengthen trade unionism.

Basic details of SASK and its projects in the countries of the South are available in English on the organisation's website.

The loss of a sponsor is once again due to a union merger. The Textile and Garment Workers’ Union will merge next month with another sponsor, the Chemical Workers’ Union.

These changes will not influence the editorial policy of Trade Union News from Finland.