In the run-up to Finland's spring 1999 general election, the TT employers' organisation is rejecting trade union proposals for cuts in working time. Instead, it proposes that a lengthening of working hours should be considered.
Download article in original language : FI9809177NFI.DOC
In the run-up to Finland's spring 1999 general election, the TT employers' organisation is rejecting trade union proposals for cuts in working time. Instead, it proposes that a lengthening of working hours should be considered.
As the Finnish parliamentary elections in spring 1999 approach, the lively debate on working time continues. The employers' position on general working time cuts is unconditionally negative. The director of collective bargaining for the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (Teollisuuden ja Työnantajain Keskusliitto, TT), Seppo Riski, justifies this stance by stating that the relative proportion of older people in the population is growing and the proportion who are of working age is diminishing. This general demographic development is especially true in Finland, where the birth-rate has been relatively low for a long time, and "this means that the burden of welfare services per head of population will become heavier. There are relatively fewer people at work than before, compared with the number of elderly people, pensioners and children that have to be taken care of," says Mr Riski. He added that" in my view, as an consequence of this demographic development we should discuss seriously lengthening not shortening working time."
Mr Riski states that he does not understand the talk about working time cuts at all. In his view, even now the span of working life is short for Finns: the move from studies to working life takes place relatively late, and people retire early. According to Mr Riski, cuts in working time would lead easily to a situation where the same amount of work would be done by the same number of workers, but at an accelerated tempo. He also fears that competitiveness would be at risk if working hours were cut.
The working time debate is arguably hindered by a lack of objective, internationally and unambiguously comparable statistics regarding length of working time. To justify their stances, both employers and trade unions use such statistics as can be interpreted to support their own respective views.
The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö, SAK) and the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (Toimihenkilökeskusjärjestö, STTK) want to take a critical look at weekly working hours, and have started to campaign for a 35-hour week in order to improve employment (FI9808174N) One of the justifications for this move is to follow European developments in the area of working time. Mr Riski of TT, on the other hand, says that in France the current reduction of working time (FR9806113F) is being subsidised from the government budget - "one may ask whether this is in line with EU competition law". Instead of general working time cuts, TT could consider increased variation in working hours (FI9807169N) (quoted in the Demari newspaper, 15 September 1998).
The unions have proposed that the issue of working time be included in the next government's programme and in negotiations over the next centralised incomes policy agreement. The managing director of TT, Johannes Koroma, answers these proposals by saying that an issue as crucial to industrial relations as this should not be solved by political means through a government programme or legislation.
Eurofound doporučuje citovat tuto publikaci následujícím způsobem.
Eurofound (1998), Employers suggest longer working time, article.
