Finland
Background information on industrial relations in Finland
- 14 May 2012
Finland: Finland: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the insurance sectorThe Finnish insurance sector consists of 145 companies employing a total of 10,829 employees in 2009. The sector has remained quite stable during the past ten years. It has just one employer association; the EK-affiliated Federation of Finnish Financial Services (FK). FK and the Union of Insurance Employees in Finland (VVL) have conducted the only collective agreement that has been applied to the sector’s other trade unions; Suora and the Finnish Association of Business School Graduates (SEFE).
- 24 Apr 2012
Finland: FINLAND: Employment and Industrial Relations in the Hotels and RestaurantsIn Finland, the production and employment of the HORECA sector have improved continuously from 1994 until 2008, except for the years 2002-04, when production decreased temporary. Demand for the services of the sector, however, decreased quite strongly in 2009, due to the economic crisis, because the sector is particularly vulnerable to cyclical fluctuations. In 2009, there were 11,100 companies and 14,400 places of business in the HORECA sector. The number of employment has increased more than 5,000 people since 2006. In 2009 (from 72,744 to 79,559), a total number of employments in HORECA comprised 3.2 % of the employment total in Finland. HORECA sector accounts for 1.5 % of Finland’s GDB. The sector is strongly female-dominated; a share of female workers in employment was 72 %. The only trade union is the Service Union United PAM. Likewise; there is just one employer association, which is the Finnish Hotel and Restaurant Association MaRa. MaRa supervises and promotes the interests of hotels, restaurants and tourist companies. The last industrial action in the Finnish HORECA sector took place in 1991. Thus, the sector is particularly stabile concerning industrial peace. Both MaRa and PAM highlight the particularly good cooperation and negotiation culture.
- 27 Mar 2012
Finland: Finland: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the paper sectorFinland’s paper sector has experienced massive restructuring during the past decade or so. The sector has traditionally been a cornerstone of Finnish industry, but in recent years the number of employees in the sector has fallen from almost 36,000 to less than 25,000. There is a single employer association (Metsäteollisuus ry.) operating in the paper sector, and three trade unions representing different levels of employees: the Paperworkers’ Union, the Union of Salaried Employees and the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff.
- 07 Mar 2012
Finland: FINLAND: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the sea fisheries sectorThe sea fisheries sector in Finland is very small. Those who work in it are mostly self-employed. In 2009 there were only 116 full-time employees. There is no trade union or employer association in the sector, and so IR activity is almost non-existent. The only interest organisation is the Finland’s Fisheries’ League (SAKL) which represents professional fishermen who are mostly self-employed or have only one or two employees. The collective agreement of the Finnish Seamen’s Union covers employees.
- 05 Mar 2012
Finland: Workers benefit from changes in work legislation and social securityFrom 2012 a set of new provisions have come into effect in Finland that, among other things, will improve the position of temporary agency workers, increase the rate of unemployment benefit and raise employees’ contributions to social insurance. Employees’ spending power is predicted to rise by around 0.6 % in 2012, despite the generally pessimistic outlook, thanks to improved social benefits, increased pay, falling inflation and the government’s tax solutions.
- 09 Jan 2012
Finland: Social partners sign ‘historic’ tripartite framework agreementFinnish social partners reached agreement in October on a framework accord on pay and conditions that will ensure competitiveness and safeguard employment. In late November the partners concluded that support for the framework agreement was broad enough for it to take effect. The accord covers about 94% of the workforce, or around two million employees. Social partnershave characterised the comprehensive national framework settlement as a historic achievement.