Finland
Background information on industrial relations in Finland
- 28 Dec 1997
Finland: Firefighters take strike action<#PDF_LINK>The Finnish Firefighters' Union launched a strike on 27 November 1997 in a dispute concerning the pay system, working hours and the retirement age.
- 28 Dec 1997
Finland: Negotiations succeed in the paper sector<#PDF_LINK>The Paperworkers' Union delayed its ratification of Finland's new central incomes policy agreement beyond the deadline on 11 December 1997. However, the union succeeded in resolving a dispute on outsourcing, and was subsequently able to endorse the central deal.
- 28 Dec 1997
Finland: Doctors reject incomes policy agreement<#PDF_LINK>The Finnish Medical Association has rejected the central incomes policy agreement signed on 12 December 1997 at confederation level. The disagreement concerns changes in pay and working hours as a consequence of the EU working time Directive.
- 28 Dec 1997
Finland: 1997 Annual Review for Finland<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 1997's main developments in industrial relations in Finland.
- 28 Nov 1997
Finland: Social partners reach agreement on EMU buffer funds<#PDF_LINK>On 17 November 1997, the Finnish social partners reached an agreement on the so-called "EMU buffers", following negotiations which have been in progress all autumn. In order to balance out cyclical economic changes within EMU, a total sum of up to FIM 7 billion will be collected in two buffer funds created in the occupational pension scheme and the unemployment insurance system.
- 28 Nov 1997
Finland: Paperworkers find buffer funds agreement insufficient<#PDF_LINK>In November 1997, the Finnish Paper Workers' Union stated that the agreement on the "EMU buffer funds" drawn up by the social partners at national level is insufficient. The union believes that some central sector-specific objectives were left out of the agreement.
- 28 Nov 1997
Finland: Paperworkers' Union prepared for group-level bargaining<#PDF_LINK>In November 1997, the chair of Finland's Paperworkers' Union spoke in favour of group-level collective agreements in the industry. The employers take a positive view of the idea.
- 28 Nov 1997
Finland: Lay-offs ahead in municipalities<#PDF_LINK>Following Finland's severe economic depression of the early 1990s, the finances of some municipalities are still in relatively bad shape. According to a survey conducted in November 1997, a quarter of municipalities have announced that cuts will be made on personnel expenditure, and this may lead to lay-offs and dismissals.
- 28 Oct 1997
Finland: Preparations for upcoming incomes policy negotiations have started<#PDF_LINK>On 30 September 1997, the Finnish social partners started preparatory talks concerning the upcoming incomes policy negotiations, led by Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen. Trade union organisations are stressing qualitative goals, but employers do not look with favour on these themes.
- 28 Oct 1997
Finland: No quick solution in negotiations on EMU buffers<#PDF_LINK>Over autumn 1997, the Finnish social partners have been trying to find a common policy concerning the so-called "EMU buffers" - a fund to help protect Finnish wage earners from fluctuations within EMU. The organisations believe, however, that the solution will not be found quickly.
- 28 Oct 1997
Finland: Service employers are not ready to agree on outside labour rules<#PDF_LINK>The Employers' Confederation of Service Industries (PT) is not going to sign any agreements regulating subcontracting, "rented labour" or other "atypical" employment relationships in Finland's forthcoming incomes policy negotiations, due to start in earnest in November 1997.
- 28 Sep 1997
Finland: Government moves towards a more active employment policy<#PDF_LINK>In November 1996, the Finnish Minister of Labour,Liisa Jaakonsaari, appointed a senior government advisory group to advise on the reform of employment policy. At a time of very high unemployment, this policy has mainly focused on the passive maintenance of income for unemployed people. The report of the advisory group, published in June 1997, has recommended a change towards a policy of promoting more active measures. Many of the report's proposals are to be implemented in the 1998 state Budget. We review the main proposals and the responses of the social partners.
- 28 Sep 1997
Finland: Skill shortages and long-term unemployment in Finland<#PDF_LINK>In 1997, skill shortages in Finland are having an impact not only on the labour market but also on the economy as a whole. Despite the recent improvement in the economy, the problems of putting unemployed people into work remain and there is still a shortage of qualified labour in many sectors of the economy. This feature outlines the reasons for these skill shortages, outlines the measures taken to help solve this problem, and looks at the views of the social partners.
- 28 Sep 1997
Finland: Paper industry dispute leads to debate on labour market peace<#PDF_LINK>In September 1997, the Finnish Paperworkers' Union was fined by the Labour Court for taking illegal industrial action in a dispute related to a strike by workers at Nokia Paper Ltd. The case has initiated a debate on the effectiveness of Finland's system of "labour market peace".
- 28 Sep 1997
Finland: Sabbatical leave scheme to be continued<#PDF_LINK>Finland has been experimenting with its sabbatical or "job alternation" leave scheme since the beginning of 1996, and the results have so far been very positive, so much so that the Government decided in September 1997 to continue the scheme. Up to now, 8,000 people have taken advantage of the leave.
- 28 Sep 1997
Finland: Outside labour dispute leads to strikes in paper mills<#PDF_LINK>A long-running disagreement between the Finnish Paperworkers' Union and the forestry industry employers about the use of outside labour led in September 1997 to a strike of maintenance personnel at Nokia Paper Ltd, and later on to a series of support strikes. A last-minute agreement prevented the spread of the industrial action to all 27,000 members of the Paperworkers' Union. This article examines the background to the dispute and the solution.
- 28 Aug 1997
Finland: Finland launches a five-year national programme for older workers<#PDF_LINK>The age structure of the Finnish workforce is changing rapidly, largely due to demographic factors, and the proportion of workers over 50 continues to increase. There is increasing pressure on older workers to take early retirement and the unemployment rate among the over-50 group continues to rise. Finland is the first EU country to draft guidelines to improve the status of older workers and this article outlines the measures being taken by the Finnish Government in a five-year national programme for older workers, 1997-2001, and the responses of the social partners.
- 28 Aug 1997
Finland: Further discussions to resolve problems in forestry and papermaking<#PDF_LINK>In June 1997, the Paperworkers' Union decided that it would withdraw from any discussions on a comprehensive incomes policy until its problems with the forestry employers had been resolved. Negotiations with the employers have now commenced. According to some labour market experts, it is impossible to have a comprehensive agreement on incomes policy in Finland without the Paperworkers' Union.
- 28 Aug 1997
Finland: Moves towards local bargaining<#PDF_LINK>Recent statements by leading figures in Finnish trade unions and employers' organisations have thrown light on a possible new, more flexible model for collective bargaining, which may be discussed in the forthcoming incomes policy negotiations in winter 1997.
- 28 Jul 1997
Finland: The Finnish National Workplace Development Programme<#PDF_LINK>Ever since the coalition Government headed by Prime MinisterPaavo Lipponencame to power in 1995 in Finland, it has made the fight against unemployment its top priority. This article outlines one measure that the Finnish Government has taken to combat unemployment - the tripartite National Workplace Development Programme.
- 28 Jul 1997
Finland: New centralised agreement on incomes policy unlikely<#PDF_LINK>In summer 1997, theConfederation of Finnish Industry and Employers(TT) is currently discussing the possibility of negotiating a new agreement on a broad and comprehensive incomes policy. While the employers retain an open mind on the level of future pay settlements, they hope that the outcome of future negotiations will guarantee the continuity of moderate pay settlements.
- 28 Jul 1997
Finland: Paperworkers' Union seeks a separate agreement for the forestry sector<#PDF_LINK>Finland's possible membership of EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is having a major impact on the labour market, with increasing pressures towards decentralisation of decision-making. The current incomes policy is seen as creating difficulties in the resolution of sector-specific problems. The decision in June 1997 by the Paperworkers' Union to seek a separate agreement, rather than be covered by a new overall incomes policy, has highlighted these issues.
- 28 Jun 1997
Finland: Committee considers the reform of the Employment Contracts Act<#PDF_LINK>A tripartite committee has been appointed with the task of evaluating the need to reform Finland's Employment Contracts Act. This article provides the background to the setting-up of the committee, which is due to report by October 1997.
- 28 Jun 1997
Finland: SAK and TT renew their basic agreement<#PDF_LINK>In June 1997, theCentral Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions(SAK) and theConfederation of Finnish Industry and Employers(TT) announced a renewal of their basic agreement, enabling wider decision-making on terms of employment at local and company level.
- 28 Jun 1997
Finland: Paperworkers' Union disassociates itself from national-level incomes policy<#PDF_LINK>At a meeting on 11 June 1997, the Finnish Paperworkers' Union disassociated itself from national incomes policy discussions, arguing for individual agreements for each union. It claimed that there are special problems in the paper industry which necessitate an individual approach.
- 28 Jun 1997
Finland: Wide consensus in Finland in favour of EMU<#PDF_LINK>In mid-1997, there seems to be a wide consensus between the Finnish Government and the social partners about EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
- 28 May 1997
Finland: STTK proposes a 35-hour week<#PDF_LINK>TheFinnish Confederation of Salaried Employees(STTK) has recently begun discussions about the next incomes policy agreement by proposing a reduction in working time.
- 28 May 1997
Finland: Two reports published on the industrial relations implications of EMU in Finland<#PDF_LINK>Two separate committees - a group of professors appointed by the Government and a committee of economists from the Finnish social partners - published reports in early May 1997 on the industrial relations implications of EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) for Finland The social partners themselves have adopted a joint declaration on EMU membership.
- 28 Apr 1997
Finland: Sabbatical leave scheme gains in popularity<#PDF_LINK>The sabbatical leave pilot scheme, which was agreed as part of Finland's last incomes policy agreement, has begun as planned. So far, 5,500 employees have taken advantage of the scheme. The Ministry of Labour's target of 5,000-10,000 employees per year appears likely to be achieved.
- 28 Apr 1997
Finland: Government agrees on principles of training guarantee for long-term unemployed people<#PDF_LINK>The Finnish Government has recently agreed on some of the principles of a "training guarantee" scheme, starting with funding for a training allowance for long-term unemployed people.
- 28 Apr 1997
Finland: Negotiations on retirement age equality postponed<#PDF_LINK>Government plans to amend Finnish legislation to bring it into line with EU equality law have recently proved controversial with theFinnish Confederation of Salaried Employees(STTK). Following negotiations, further discussion of the issue has been postponed to autumn 1997.
- 28 Mar 1997
Finland: Legislative changes affect atypical work<#PDF_LINK>Legislative changes have been introduced affecting "atypical" work under the Contracts of Employment Act, the Study Leave Act and the Occupational Safety Act. The changes came into force at the beginning of February and they aim to bring the legal status of persons in such work closer to the status of persons under a regular employment contract.
- 28 Mar 1997
Finland: Working time experiments introduced in 20 municipalities<#PDF_LINK>TheMinistry of Labourhas chosen 20 municipalities in different parts of Finland to participate in new forms of working time organisation on an experimental basis. Results so far have been favourable.
- 28 Feb 1997
Finland: Bank service fees dispute averted<#PDF_LINK>Recently-announced plans by banks to levy service charges on the accounts into which employees' salaries and wages are paid, have resulted in trade union protests and the dropping of the proposals.
- 28 Feb 1997
Finland: Training or work experience for unskilled young people<#PDF_LINK>Unskilled young people aged between 20 and 24 must undertake training or work experience programmes in order to maintain their right to receive unemployment benefit, according to a recent amendment to the Act on Labour Market Support.