Pro News

Nordic Financial Unions (NFU) and its member unions in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland fully support Trade Union Pro in the ongoing conflict and strike in the financial sector in Finland.

– Finance employees in Finland have a right to improve the wage setting model, and address other pressing challenges that finance employees face, such as striking the right work-life balance and demand good co-operation in skills improvement, says Michael Budolfsen, the President of NFU. 

Moreover, there is a proven practice as regards local negotiations in the finance sector in Finland, which has contributed to better cooperation and flexibility in a decentralised manner. The employers’ attempt at cancelling negotiation and dialogue in working time matters is a threat to these mutual gains and goes against core principles in the Finnish and Nordic labour market model.

– In this way, the employers in the Finnish finance sector seek to maximise profit by undermining employees’ health and well-being at work including the possibilities to reconcile work and family life. This is put on top of already existing efforts to relocate and down-size jobs and workplaces – an altogether unacceptable behaviour, Budolfsen says.

Nordic Financial Unions urge the finance sector employers in Finland to respect the Nordic traditions of labour market dialogue and strong social protection as a foundation for sustainable competitiveness and growth. The aim should be to develop long-term oriented and prosperous business models that benefit both companies, employees and society – as opposed to the current short-term profit maximisation at the expense of employees’ health, wages, and work environment.