Trade union want to have shorter strike notification times

The Finnish trade union Pro wants to have shorter strike notification times to Finland. Currently, the notification time in Finland is 14 days, whereas in EU it is 3 days and in seven member countries of EU, the notification time does not exist. Finland has the tightest notification times in European labor market (in Finnish, työmarkkina) standard.

Pro wants to have either the notification period to be reduced to a fair condition, or then have big sanctions to employers when they violate the employees’ right to strike. According to Pro, it is hard to follow 14 days notification time, since employers have used this time to infringe the right to strike. Pro members have been pressured to leave the union, to move upper positions and train outsiders to do their tasks.

For example Forest industries federation has repeatedly accused the staff strikes illegal. The collective agreement of paper industry officials expired on 04/01/2011. After that strikes have been legal. The strikes have enormous affect on companies. Problems pile up day by day, and to strike is more and more expensive for the employers. Due to shortage on the staff and the errors made by unqualified personnel start to accumulate, which is reflected to the quality of work.

According to Pro, in the moment of strike the employers have transferred the work abroad, brought person from abroad to work in Finland, and invited the summer workers to do the job of people on strike. The worst is, however, to put the pressure on individual officers mentally during the 14 days notification period.

European Trade Union Confederation demands work, equality and fairness

European trade unions met in May 2001 in Athens for the European Trade Union Confederation Congress. This meeting is held every four years; this year, the most important issues that were discussed in the congress were economical and employment crisis management.

The main demand from ETUC was to develop European labor (in Finnish, työmarkkina) to the direction which takes into account the employees and the social justice. Even the Europe is in the middle of economical crises, ETUC would like to see the ways of surviving that would combine both the employees (in Finnish, palkansaaja) well being and economical competitiveness.

The ETUC has not welcomed the cutting policy that has been managed by European Commission and practised by European governments. These trade unions believe that the current movement will endanger the wages, public services and workers' rights. The debate has been especially heated related to the fresh initiative that would impose wage and collective bargaining under the watchful eye of European Commission.

Additional to the big discussion related to the economy, employment, and the regulation of markets, the topics included following: labor mobility, sustainable development and social dialogue between employees and employers. The new secretary general, the secretariat and the government for ETUC were elected in the congress also.

ETUC is the highest decision-making body of European trade union movement, which determines the strategy for the employee parties and action plan for the coming years.

Founded in 1973, the ETUC consists of 83 European confederations of workers from 36 countries and 12 sector-specific European Union. The ETUC member organizations are representing around 60 million workers in Europe.

Guide to salary discussions for managers and employees published in Finland

European trade unions met in May 2001 in Athens for the European Trade Union Confederation Congress. This meeting is held every four years; this year, the most important issues that were discussed in the congress were economical and employment crisis management.

The main demand from ETUC was to develop European labor (in Finnish, työmarkkina) to the direction which takes into account the employees and the social justice. Even the Europe is in the middle of economical crises, ETUC would like to see the ways of surviving that would combine both the employees (in Finnish, palkansaaja) well being and economical competitiveness.

The ETUC has not welcomed the cutting policy that has been managed by European Commission and practised by European governments. These trade unions believe that the current movement will endanger the wages, public services and workers' rights. The debate has been especially heated related to the fresh initiative that would impose wage and collective bargaining under the watchful eye of European Commission.

Additional to the big discussion related to the economy, employment, and the regulation of markets, the topics included following: labor mobility, sustainable development and social dialogue between employees and employers. The new secretary general, the secretariat and the government for ETUC were elected in the congress also.

ETUC is the highest decision-making body of European trade union movement, which determines the strategy for the employee parties and action plan for the coming years.

Founded in 1973, the ETUC consists of 83 European confederations of workers from 36 countries and 12 sector-specific European Union. The ETUC member organizations are representing around 60 million workers in Europe.