Finland
Background information on industrial relations in Finland
- 28 Dec 1999
Finland: Strike levels fall in 1999<#PDF_LINK>According to figures issued by Statistics Finland in November 1999, the number of working days lost due to strikes during the first six months of the year fell dramatically compared with the corresponding period in 1998. However, the sectoral bargaining round in early 2000 is likely to see a increase in industrial action.
- 28 Dec 1999
Finland: Barometer examines industrial relations in the Baltic states<#PDF_LINK>A "working life barometer" for the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Labour, was published in November 1999. The research focuses on changes in industrial relations and working conditions, and finds that the level of union membership is low, wage differentials huge and the issue of equal opportunities of minor interest. The social dialogue is practically non-existent in these countries and a neo-liberal, market-driven economic policy is being conducted.
- 28 Dec 1999
Finland: 1999 Annual Review for FINLAND<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 1999's main developments in industrial relations in FINLAND
- 28 Nov 1999
Finland: Teachers and healthcare employees fight budget cuts in municipalities<#PDF_LINK>In October 1999, trade unions representing Finnish education, health and social care employees announced the launch of a joint campaign against lay-offs, cost cutting and fixed-term jobs in the municipal sector. Municipalities that hire fixed-term workers illegally are being threatened with court action. The municipal employers admit that some illegal actions may have occurred under the pressure of budget cuts.
- 28 Nov 1999
Finland: Temporary agency work causes friction in service sector<#PDF_LINK>In October 1999, the Finnish Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union (HRHL) is involved in a controversy over the use of temporary agency work in the sector. There is no separate collective agreement for temporary work agencies, while the workers concerned are not covered by the collective agreements of the sectors in which they work, with the result that their pay and conditions are often worse than those of the user company's employees.
- 28 Nov 1999
Finland: Action programme launched to promote ability to cope at work<#PDF_LINK>In November 1999, the Finnish government launched an action programme to promote employees' "ability to cope" at work. It aims to find new practical solutions to prevent stress at work, among other measures, with the goal of raising the average age of retirement by two to three years over next decade. The programme has been prepared by various ministries, the social partners, sport organisations and the church, and the social partners will play a major role in its implementation.
- 28 Oct 1999
Finland: European working time conference held in Helsinki<#PDF_LINK>The Finnish Ministry of Labour organised a conference on "Working time in Europe, towards a European working time policy" in October 1999. Developments in this field are being followed closely among the EU Member States. The French initiative to establish a statutory 35-hour working week was much discussed at the conference, but it seems that there is not much preparedness for a general cut in working time, even though many research studies indicate that reducing hours through reorganising work would benefit both parties and could decrease unemployment. The conference also highlighted differences on possible working time negotiations between the EU-level social partners.
- 28 Oct 1999
Finland: SAK computer campaign proves successful<#PDF_LINK>In 1998, Finland's SAK trade union confederation launched a project to promote the ability of its members and their families to cope in the information society, offering members an opportunity to buy a cheap computer package. The project has proved a success, with 44% of SAK members now stating that they use a computers. In October 1999, the confederation decided to continue the campaign.
- 28 Oct 1999
Finland: Centralised incomes policy deal fails - sectoral bargaining to follow<#PDF_LINK>A new centralised incomes policy agreement seems unlikely to materialise in Finland, after the board of the SAK trade union confederation stated on 27 September 1999 that the preconditions for such an agreement are lacking. This was because 10 SAK affiliates announced that they wanted a sector-level bargaining round, in order to address sector-specific problems (such as outsourcing) that have accumulated under previous centralised agreements. The employers, on the other hand, see no need for this.
- 28 Sep 1999
Finland: Wage earners' purchasing power has developed positively under incomes policy agreements<#PDF_LINK>In September 1999, the views of Finland's social partners over a possible new national incomes policy agreement were being sounded out. The willingness to conclude a new incomes policy deal may have been strengthened by the report of a tripartite fact-finding commission on the practical implementation of the last two incomes policy agreements, which finds that purchasing power has grown considerably faster than envisaged when the agreements were signed.
- 28 Sep 1999
Finland: AKAVA aims at wide-ranging incomes policy agreement<#PDF_LINK>Finland's current two-year national incomes policy agreement expires in January 2000. The AKAVA trade union confederation, which represents professional staff, announced in September 1999 that it is seeking a new wide-ranging, two-year incomes policy solution which will strengthen the Finnish economy, promote employment and "coping" at work, and safeguard the positive development in employees' purchasing power of recent years.
- 28 Sep 1999
Finland: Metalworkers' Union strongly advocates incomes policy agreement<#PDF_LINK>In September 1999, the Finnish Metalworkers' Union announced its aim of achieving a new incomes policy agreement to succeed the current national deal, which expires in January 2000. The union has threatened a general strike, if necessary, in the event that sector-specific problems in the forestry and chemical industries, which form an obstacle to reaching an overall national agreement, cannot be resolved.
- 28 Aug 1999
Finland: Agreement reached over early retirement and pensions<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, the Finnish social partners reached an agreement on some major reforms to early retirement and pensions. These reforms, together with the programme for older workers and the third stage of a scheme to fund adult training out of unemployment insurance, aim to increase the average retirement age step by step.
- 28 Aug 1999
Finland: Unemployed must accept job offers from further afield<#PDF_LINK>In August 1999, the Finnish government decided that in future unemployed people in many districts will have to accept work from a wider geographical area than earlier, or lose their benefits. One aim of this change is to reduce recruitment bottlenecks. Employers have long been pushing for such measures to "activate" unemployed people and alleviate bottlenecks, while trade unions wanted to retain the present situation.
- 28 Aug 1999
Finland: Metalworkers' Union prepared to accept incomes policy agreement limited to pay<#PDF_LINK>The chair of the Finnish Metalworkers' Union, affiliated to the SAK confederation, announced in August 1999 that a deal guaranteeing a steady rise in real wages could be sufficient for the country's next national incomes policy agreement. At the same time, however, some other SAK affiliates, such as the Paper Workers' Union, have stressed the importance of solving sector-specific problems.
- 28 Jul 1999
Finland: ETUC presents memorandum to the Finnish EU Presidency<#PDF_LINK>On 1 July 1999, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which was holding its congress in Helsinki, presented a memorandum to the Finnish EU Presidency, which started on the same day. The memorandum focuses largely on the need to coordinate economic and employment policy on the basis of the new "European employment pact". The Finnish Prime Minister, Paavo Lipponen, promised in a speech to the congress that Finland will develop the new "macroeconomic dialogue" during its Presidency.
- 28 Jun 1999
Finland: Federation of Finnish Enterprises aims to participate in incomes policy negotiations<#PDF_LINK>In June 1999, the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), was given a mandate by four of its affiliates to participate in national incomes policy negotiations. The organisation thus aims to achieve the status of a central social partner organisation with negotiation rights. The existing central organisations are unsympathetic toward such a move and would like to maintain the status quo
- 28 Jun 1999
Finland: SAK gives priority to strengthening general validity of agreements<#PDF_LINK>In June 1999, Finland's SAK trade union confederation outlined the trade union movement's shared objective of strengthening the principle of the general validity of collective agreements - their applicability to all employers and employees in a sector, and not just members of the signatory organisations - in the next incomes policy round. This can be interpreted especially as a signal to the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, which wishes to become a negotiating party in the incomes policy talks, despite its previous aim of abolishing general validity. SAK's demand is creating some tension between left- and right-wing parties within the "rainbow" coalition government.
- 28 Jun 1999
Finland: ABB Control illustrates best practice for management of older workers<#PDF_LINK>Finland's National Programme for Older Workers, which is being carried out in cooperation between various ministries and the social partners, aims to disseminate best practice in the management of an ageing workforce. In June 1999, the programme published a report on the case of ABB Control, a company which has implemented a development project, preceded by a phase focusing on the health and ability to work of the staff, and development of the "workplace community". The parties involved have reportedly been satisfied with the progress achieved and the commitment has been strong.
- 28 May 1999
Finland: Speculation starts on the next incomes policy agreement<#PDF_LINK>In spring 1999, the Finnish social partners have been speculating as to the eventual form of the next national incomes policy agreement. There seems to be no resistance to a centralised agreement in principle, even if there is disagreement on many substantive issues at this stage. So far, the Chemical Workers' Union, the Finnish Electrical Workers' Union and the Paper Workers' Union have expressed their wish for a sector-level round of agreements. By autumn at the latest, the other organisations are expected to state their final position concerning the form of the coming agreement.
- 28 May 1999
Finland: Debate on general validity of agreements escalates<#PDF_LINK>In May 1999, the Finnish social partners have been listing their goals for the next national incomes policy agreement, to be negotiated later in the year. A disagreement over the general validity of collective agreements - ie their applicability to all employers and employees in a sector, and not just members of the signatory organisations - has risen to the fore. The trade union movement would like to affirm the principle, whereas some business interests would like the practice to be more flexible than is now the case.
- 28 May 1999
Finland: SMEs criticise rigid industrial relations system<#PDF_LINK>In May 1999, the delegation representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (TT) criticised the Finnish industrial relations system for being "rigid" at a time while the environment is changing rapidly. Trade unions see the criticism as unjustified, because opportunities for local collective bargaining have increased during the 1990s.
- 28 Apr 1999
Finland: New government's programme largely welcomed by social partners<#PDF_LINK>Following elections in March 1999, a new government was formed in Finland in April. It continues the previous "rainbow "coalition, consisting of the Social Democratic Party, the conservative National Coalition Party, the Left-Wing Alliance, the Greens and the Swedish People's Party. The social partners reacted positively, in the main, to the government's political programme
- 28 Apr 1999
Finland: Service sector employers want to prevent access to early retirement<#PDF_LINK>The Finnish Employers' Confederation of Service Industries, PT, demanded in April 1999 that employees be prevented from retiring too early, so that further increases in pension costs can be avoided. In order to combat the problem of early labour market exit, PT suggests training, rehabilitation and other supportive measures. Trade unions admit the seriousness of the problem, but stress the importance of ability to cope at work and better protection against unilateral termination of employment for older workers.
- 28 Mar 1999
Finland: Agreement ends air traffic controllers' strike<#PDF_LINK>In March 1999, after five weeks on strike, Finnish air traffic controllers accepted an agreement which will increase their wages by nearly 13% over three years.
- 28 Mar 1999
Finland: Redundancies highlight debate on companies' values<#PDF_LINK>March 1999 saw a fierce debate in Finland about the way in which some successful companies treat their staff, centring around the announcement of redundancies at the Pohjola insurance company. Trade unions have reacted strongly against redundancies at companies enjoying high profits, and some firms are seen to be placing investors' interests above all other values.
- 28 Mar 1999
Finland: STTK demands improved protection against unilateral termination<#PDF_LINK>The STTK white-collar trade union confederation has set out its goals for the programme of Finland's new government, following the March 1999 general election. Several high-profile cases of firms making redundancies despite good economic performance have led the organisation to demand improved protection against unilateral termination of employment contracts.
- 28 Mar 1999
Finland: Joint statement on EU-level cooperation<#PDF_LINK>Finland's TT employers' confederation and STTK white-collar trade union confederation issued a joint statement in March 1999 on the future of the labour market at EU level. The organisations stress the mutual development of the social partners and more concrete involvement in the social dialogue.
- 28 Feb 1999
Finland: Air traffic controllers' action raises question of limitation of key groups' right to strike<#PDF_LINK>The members of the independent Finnish Air Traffic Controllers' Association went on strike on 1 February 1999. They are demanding a wage increase of about 30% over three years, and threatening to look for work elsewhere in Europe where pay levels are higher. The dispute brought to the fore the employers' demand that the right to strike of key groups should be restricted. This demand faces stiff opposition from the labour movement on the grounds that it would violate workers' fundamental rights.
- 28 Feb 1999
Finland: Stora Enso cuts 2,000 jobs<#PDF_LINK>The recently merged Finnish-Swedish forestry products group, Stora Enso, announced in January 1999 that it would be cutting its workforce by 2,000 employees during the next few years, owing to the overlap resulting from the merger. The Finnish Paper Workers' Union expressed shock at the announcement and suggested that such decisions undermine Finland's current incomes policy agreement.
- 28 Feb 1999
Finland: AKAVA proposes new working time scheme<#PDF_LINK>In February 1999, as part of the current debate on working time in Finland, the AKAVA trade union confederation launched an idea for a new scheme known as "contractual leave". Under the scheme, working time (eg time off in lieu for overtime) could be saved in a working time "bank", while extra pay and bonuses could be saved in a sabbatical leave fund. The time and money thus saved could then be used for taking long periods of leave.
- 28 Jan 1999
Finland: Employers propose balance sheet buffers for employees<#PDF_LINK>With the dawn of the European single currency in January 1999, the managing director of Finland's PT service sector employers' organisation has called for the national industrial relations system to be adapted to the changed operational environment. He proposes the creation of "buffer reserves" in company balance sheets, for the benefit of employees. These buffers should be accumulated in periods of economic upswing and spent when enterprises are facing hard times.
- 28 Jan 1999
Finland: Nearly 1,000 redundancies in the food industry<#PDF_LINK>In January 1999, companies in the Finnish food industry announced restructuring which will lead to nearly 1,000 redundancies. Employers say that the job losses are motivated by profit expectations, market changes and intensified competition. The Food Workers' Union demands cancellation of the plans.
- 28 Jan 1999
Finland: Employers outline priorities for Finnish EU Presidency<#PDF_LINK>In January 1999, Finland's main employers' confederations, TT and PT, issued a joint statement concerning their priorities for the Finnish EU Presidency in the second half of the year. The organisations state that neither transfer of decision-making to the EU level nor EU legislation are absolute values in themselves.