Ann Selin: Low pay undermines the image of work
Yesterday PAM’s Ann Selin met workers in Helsinki who are enthusiastic about their jobs: "In my view companies cannot afford to have employees doing a great job in customer service getting frustrated because they feel their pay is unfairly low", she said. Photos: Samuli Miettinen
Ann Selin, President of Service Union United PAM, met hospitality sector employees in the S Group in Helsinki. Selin got a lot out of the talks. They gave her renewed impetus for the ongoing collective bargaining round.
Yesterday Ann Selin visited Solo Sokos Hotel Torni and Radisson Blu Royal. These workplace visits are part of PAM’s ongoing campaign of meeting large numbers of service sector workers.
Visiting Hotel Torni and Radisson Blu Royal, Selin met many workers who are enthusiastic about their jobs. She would like to see employers showing understanding for employees’ opinions.
"People are annoyed that their pay doesn’t properly reflect what their job requires of them. Low pay is interpreted as a lack of appreciation", Selin says following of the discussions she had with workers.
"In my view companies cannot afford to have employees doing a great job in customer service getting frustrated because they feel their pay is unfairly low ", Selin says.
A discussion session was held at Hotel Radisson Blu Royal with hospitality sector employees and shop stewards from various locations in the S Group. Selin got the impression from the meeting that workplaces are ready to act if the situation in the collective agreement negotiations calls for it.
"I got the feeling that there is a willingness to take action if necessary if there’s no other way to get a decent agreement."
Niina Ruutinen, chief shop steward at Sokotel Oy, found the visit of the union’s president very significant and encouraging.
"It was wonderful that Ann Selin managed to meet us workers in the sector in the middle of the busy negotiations and was interesting in hearing our ideas. There is a good team spirit in our workplaces, and that was strengthened further by meeting Selin", Ruutinen says of the visit.
Active PAM members and union staff will be visiting service sector workplaces this and next week, i.e. weeks 5 and 6. The campaign, known as Valmiusviikot (Prep weeks) aims to bring together as many service sector workers as possible to discuss the ongoing collective agreement negotiations.
Discussions on the collective agreement negotiations are currently ongoing in workplaces during PAM’s prep weeks.