Finland -Unions mobilise against attack on collective agreements -September 25, 2015

A demonstration organised by the three trade union confederations Akava, SAK and STTK brought 30,000 people out on to the streets of Helsinki. Altogether, some 300,000 people came out in protest against the government measures around the country. The government is planning to introduce legislation which would set an upper limit on extra pay for Sunday and overtime work. This level is lower than the one agreed on in collective agreements today. They will also shorten annual leave and eliminate two bank holidays. Employers' representatives have been defending the measures saying that it is always possible to get better terms of work in a personal work contract. In the meantime, the trade unions are attracting significantly more new members since the government announced its plans for austerity measures.

English: http://heikkijokinen.info/en/trade-union-news-from-finland/860-30-000-rally …   

http://heikkijokinen.info/en/trade-union-news-from-finland/861-new-members …  

For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.