On May 4 Pro gave the employer side its proposal for salary increases. Salaries should be raised by EUR90 per month, or by at least 3.5 per cent.

However, on May 20 employer negotiators announced that Pro's demands differ so widely from the employers' ideas that they could not put forward any proposal for salary rises under the circumstances.

- As such, the clearly arrogant and unhelpful line taken by the employer representatives did not come as a surprise but it still sets off alarm bells each time it happens, says Antti Rinne, the President of Pro.

It is really difficult to negotiate with a party that does not even offer its own view on the level of pay rises, Rinne says critically. With such bargaining tactics the employer side has chosen a path that forces Pro to denounce the entire collective agreement for the technology industry, he adds.

- It is possible that we have to acquire the information on the employers' pay offer by threatening with industrial action. Is this employers' view on common way to carry responsibility, Rinne asks.

The situation will be addressed and dealt with on May 23 by the union's advisory council for the technology industry, and on May 24 by the board of the union.

Käännös: Juhani Artto