Archive

Helsinki (06.02.2009 - Juhani Artto) This Monday the Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen voiced his criticism of most Finnish Members of the European Parliament, in relation to the recent voting on the working hour directive. Only two Finnish MEPs supported the proposal, approved by the Council of Ministers and, according to Vanhanen, overwhelmingly approved in Finland across party lines.

Vanhanen's statement was indiscreet and undervalued the rules of democracy, the staff members of the EWCs of eight large Finnish forest industry companies (Stora Enso, UPM, M-real etc.) claimed at their meeting on Thursday. Vanhanen's interference in the independent consideration and voting behaviour of the MEPs, elected by the Finnish people, also shows lack of expertise, the union representatives said.

They wondered whether this was a clumsy attempt by Vanhanen to raise his political profile by walking over the democratically elected representatives in relation to EU matters.

Helsinki (04.02.2009 - Juhani Artto) This Monday the Council of Finnish Industrial Unions TP published an initiative that would facilitate a negotiated agreement, between all labour market organisations, to boost the competitiveness of companies and maintain purchasing power of wage and salary earners.

The agreement would create a peaceful atmosphere for the labour market in the difficult years ahead, TP argues. The agreement would also prevent the worst -case scenario from materialising- mass unemployment.

TP has invited the employer organisations of the industrial sectors and the service sector employer organisations, closely connected with the industry, to negotiations that will take place on 25 February. The goal of the meeting will be to establish whether it’s possible to find common ground in a process that would lead to such an agreement.

Helsinki (27.01.2009 - Juhani Artto) The two largest unions involved in the six industrial unions' amalgamation project (TEAM) will soon decide their respective positions towards the whole project.

Rank and file members of the Chemical Workers' Union will vote on the issue from 5 to 19 February, in a vote which will be binding. And during the same time frame the Metalworkers' Union will hold a consultative referendum but its leaders have promised to honour the position of the majority.

Helsinki (26.01.2009 - Juhani Artto) The major labour market parties announced on Thursday that they have reached common understanding on a few changes in unemployment benefits and the financing of pensions. The organisations behind the proposals are the union confederations SAK, STTK and Akava and the employers' Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK).

The package is a compromise on important social policy issues that have in recent times been under discussion. Some of the issues concerned are also being dealt with by the SATA committee, which is preparing a comprehensive reform of the Finnish social welfare system.

Reactions to the proposals have mainly been positive, especially in the trade union movement. For the latter the negotiations and their outcome are seen as a continuation of the comprehensive income policy agreements.

Helsinki (06.01.2009 - Juhani Artto) At the of November 2008, the number of laid-off employees totalled 12,500, which was three times more than a month earlier.

Total number of registered unemployed jobseekers was 201,200. Of them 40,100 had been unemployed without interruption for more than a year. The number had reduced by 7,300 from November 2007.

Helsinki (30.06.2008 - Juhani Artto) Late May brought to light serious disagreements that may derail the project, known as TEAM, with the intended purpose of amalgamating six industrial unions.

The six unions involved in amalgamation preparations are (rank and file members 1 January 2007)
The Chemical Workers' Union (47,600)
The Electrical Workers' Union (32,300)
The Media Union (24,200)
The Metalworkers' Union (165,500)
The Railway Workers' Union (14,500)
The Wood and Allied Workers' Union (45,600)

Strong doubts about the future of the venture have been expressed by Matti Alakoski, the President of the Electrical Workers Union, and Timo Vallittu, the President of the Chemical Workers' Union. Both of them criticise certain conditions approved by the Congress of the Metalworkers'Union.

Helsinki (21.01.2008 - Juhani Artto) Trade unions, representing Stora Enso's employees, plan to increase pressure to save almost one thousand jobs at the company's Kemijärvi and Summa mills in Northern and South-Eastern Finland. The mandatory negotiations, between Stora Enso and the representatives of the workforce ended on Thursday 17 January without any break-through.

The paperworkers' union is strenuous in its demand that Stora Enso agree to sell the mills to investors who are ready to continue production at the two mills. According to the union there are potential buyers for both mills. The union is still counting on intervention by the Finnish government to persuade Stora Enso to recind its decision to close the two mills without due consideration to a transfer of ownership. 

The Finnish state holds almost 16 per cent of Stora Enso's shares and controls 35 per cent of the votes.

Helsinki (19.01.2008 - Juhani Artto) In recent years Finland has succeeded remarkably well in various international comparisons. Finland has belonged to the top scorers, for example, in competitiviness, in learning results of teenagers and in fighting corruption . Also the real incomes of wage and salary earners have, since mid 1990s, risen clearly stronger than in most other OECD countries.

Therefore it is no wonder that international media has, in the last few years, often referred to Finland in discussion on strenghts and weaknesses of various social models. This week offered new examples on such references.

Helsinki (03.01.2008 - Juhani Artto) Preliminary data from the 2007 working life barometer offers a surprise. The number of sick leave days continues, last year, to decrease despite the age structure of the labour force having got older. In 2005, the average number of sick leave days per employee was 9.3 and for 2007 it will be only 8.0 days. In 2006 the number was 8.9 days.

By international comparison this trend is exceptional, comments Elina Moisio, a special assistant at the ministry of labour.

The biggest surprise in the preliminary results is that the largest drop in the number of sick leave days was to be found amongst the oldest group of employees (over 54 years of age).

Helsinki (19.07.2007 - Juhani Artto) The merger project concerning six SAK unions will go ahead in August. The proposals put forward in April by Lauri Lyly, the director of SAK’s bargaining department, will form the basis for the preparatory work. Also, points raised by the different unions on Lyly’s proposals belong to the starting points.

The preparatory work will be conducted by nine task forces, which are soon to be elected for this purpose. These members will represent expertise in major functions of the unions.

The Paper Workers Union has decided to abstain from the merger talks. Instead of a full merger it seeks closer cooperation with the unions concerned. The union will also have a monitoring status in the merger process.