Pro News

IndustriALL Global Union , representing 50 million workers in 140 countries, is following the political developments in Finland with great concern.

IndustriALL Global Union calls on the Finnish government to immediately withdraw its proposals and to engage in a genuine dialogue with the social partners. The problems of the Finnish economy will not be solved by confrontation but through negotiations.

200 delegates from IndustriALL Global Union gathered in Phnom Penh on 9-10 December for Executive Commitee meetings. Chairman of Trade Union Pro, Jorma Malinen, is one of them.

Finnish government restricting freedom of trade unions 

The Finnish government has launched an offensive against workers and their rights by proposing several cuts to workers’ living.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s cabinet is proposing to drastically cut sick leave payments, the length of annual leave and holiday bonuses, as well as weakening local agreements from the workers’ point of view, which endangers the Finnish collective bargaining system.

Instead, the government wants to introduce binding legislation that will reduce the parties’ right to collective bargaining.

The proposed cuts to the free collective bargaining go against the principles of the ILO conventions 87 and 98, guaranteeing freedom of association and freedom to bargain collectively on working conditions, ratified by Finland.

They are also incompatible with the principles of the European Social Charter, as well as the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.