Social partners disagree on amendments to Equality Act

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In November 2002, a Finnish commission examining a reform of the Equality Act submitted its proposals. It recommends a number of measures to strengthen the current provisions on gender equality and combating discrimination. Trade unions are largely in favour of the proposals, while employers are less enthusiastic.

A commission set up by the government with the task of reforming the Equality Act submitted its proposals in November 2002. The central goal of the commission's recommendations is to amend and complement the Act so as to bring it into line with EU legislation and European Court of Justice decisions, and to remedy problems and deficiencies in its application. The specific measures proposed include: an obligation on employers to promote equality; a strengthened ban on sexual discrimination; greater protection for employees complaining of discrimination against retaliatory measures by employers; a right for shop stewards to obtain wage information on employees from the equality ombudsman within two months of a request; and stronger enforcement of the obligation to draw up equality plans at the workplace, along with a requirement that such plans should in future include a statement on wages.

The principal social partners disagree strongly on the proposed amendments to the Act. The central employers' organisations - the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (Teollisuuden ja Työnantajain Keskusliitto, TT), the Employers’ Confederation of Service Industries (Palvelutyönantajat, PT), and the Commission for Local Authority Employers (Kunnallinen Työmarkkinalaitos, KT) - consider it necessary that the current proposals for changes to the Act should be amended in the legislative preparations before they are passed to parliament. According to the employers, equality in working life is important but true equality cannot be imposed through the forced measures and sanctions which, in their view, are included in the commission's proposals.

The Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (Toimihenkilökeskusjärjestö, STTK) is mainly satisfied with the proposal. The obligation on employers to promote equality is seen as positive, as are the stronger prohibition of sexual discrimination, the increased protection against employers' retaliation and the reinforced obligations relating to equality plans. According to STTK, it will be easier to deal with suspicions of wage discrimination if shop stewards have the right to obtain relevant information from the equality ombudsman.

The Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals (Akateemisten Toimihenkilöiden Keskusjärjestö, AKAVA) has responded largely along the same lines as STTK, and considers that the wage declaration which will have to be enclosed with the equality plan is the most important point of the proposal.