Industrial Union and Technology Industry Employers find common ground on CBA
THE INDUSTRIAL UNION and Technology Industry Employers of Finland on Tuesday announced they have found common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement, assuaging the threat of strikes that looms over the important export industry.
The tentative agreement was reached under the guidance of National Conciliator Vuokko Piekkala, according to Helsingin Sanomat.
The labour market organisations declined to comment on the specifics of the agreement, as it must still be approved by their decision-making bodies.
The Industrial Union warned last week in an attempt to break the deadlock in the bargaining negotiations that roughly 40,000 of its members are prepared to start a two-week strike at 300 technology firms on 14 January.
The agreement is significant also in other regards.
The Industrial Union and Technology Industries of Finland have in previous rounds of bargaining talks paved the way for agreements in other industries, effectively setting boundaries for wage increases across industries.
The Technology Industry Employers of Finland thrashed out three collective bargaining agreements last week with the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff (YTN). The agreements guarantee employees wage increases of 1.8 per cent this year unless another compromise is found in workplace-specific talks.
While the employer organisation suggested that the agreements would set boundaries for the ongoing round of negotiations, the view was not shared by Riku Aalto, the chairperson of the Industrial Union, on Tuesday. The Industrial Union has pursued wage increases in excess of two per cent.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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