Four new collective agreements achieved – threats of substantially worse conditions prevented

PAM and Service Sector Employers Palta held long negotiations on the new collective agreements for the sectors. PAM’s Collective Bargaining Director Jaana Ylitalo says that the starting point of the negotiations was difficult, which was why it took time to get from there to a negotiating result. From PAM’s perspective the employers’ objectives for the collective agreements for these sectors were very problematic.

“For the sake of the protection of employees, we are happy that it was agreed to settle pay rises within the collective agreements rather than moving them to the company level to be decided by employers alone”, Ylitalo states.

Ylitalo points out that the employers’ objective in many areas was to undermine the very security provided by collective agreement rules and regulations and to significantly increase local agreement without consultation.

Early on in the negotiations the employers were aiming for substantially worse conditions, as in other agreement sectors. A noticeable feature of these negotiations was the employers’ determined objective to impose conditions more.

“In our opinion increasing employers’ discretion in implementing wage settlements would have been a major step backwards in terms of wellbeing at work and wage formation that treats employees fairly. Fortunately we managed to prevent this objective of the employers in the collective agreement negotiations and I am happy about that”, Ylitalo says.

Ylitalo considers that the collective agreements that have been reached are reasonable. She says that PAM will hold further collective agreement negotiations with Palta during the spring on the collective agreements for security guards and the removal services sector, among others. Ylitalo also expects challenges to emerge in the upcoming negotiations.

“There is clear coordination between the employers, especially when negotiating with Palta. Therefore it has sometimes been impossible to take the special features of sectors into account in the negotiating process. I therefore hope that in the upcoming negotiations we can improve the negotiating atmosphere, which comes down to trust between both parties and increasing opportunities for genuine cooperation”, Ylitalo states.

The content of the negotiated settlements in brief

Golfing sector collective agreement
The new collective agreement for the golfing sector is valid from 1 February 2018 to 31 January 2020. The settlement increases employees’ pay twice during the agreement period.
The first increase will be on 1 May 2018, when wages will increase by a 1.6 per cent general increase. 0.5 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component if agreed with the shop steward.
Pay scales will be increased by 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018.
In 2019 the wages of persons working in the sector will increase from the start of March by 1.6 per cent. 0.4 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component if agreed with the shop steward. Pay scales will also be increased by 1.6 per cent on 1 March 2019. Read more about the collective agreement for the sector here (in Finnish).

Bingo collective agreement
The collective agreement for workers in bingo halls is valid from 1 February 2018 to 29 February 2020. The settlement increases wages in the sector twice during the agreement period.
Wages will be increased by general increases of 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018 and by 1.7 per cent from 1 April 2019. Read more about the collective agreement for the sector here (in Finnsh).

Photofinishing labs collective agreement
The new collective agreement for photofinishing labs is valid from 1 February 2018 to 29 February 2020. Wages will increase twice during the agreement period.
Wages will be increased by 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018. 0.5 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component if agreed with the shop steward. Pay rate descriptors and shift work supplements will be increased by 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018.
In 2019 wages will be increased by 1.7 per cent from 1 April. 0.5 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component as agreed with the shop steward. Pay rate descriptors and shift work supplements will be increased by 1.7 per cent from 1 April 2019.
On both increase dates, the company-based components will be applied so as to support incentives and fairness in pay and shop stewards will be informed about the allocation of these.
Read more about the collective agreement for the sector here (in Finnish).

Household appliances and equipment servicing and service machine sector collective agreement
The new collective agreement for the sector is valid from 1 February 2018 to 29 February 2020. Wages will increase twice during the agreement period.
Wages will be increased by 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018. 0.5 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component as agreed with the shop steward. Pay rate descriptors and shift work supplements in the sector will also be increased by 1.6 per cent from 1 May 2018.
In 2019 wages will be increased by 1.7 per cent from 1 April. 0.5 per cent of the increase may be paid as a company-specific component as agreed with the shop steward. Pay rate descriptors and shift work supplements will be increased by 1.7 per cent from 1 April 2019.
The company-specific components agreed in the collective agreement will be principally applied to raise the pay rates of lower-paid workers and to narrow pay gaps between persons in the same job functions so as to support incentives and fairness in pay. Shop stewards will be given a report on the implementation of the company-specific component.
A new element in the collective agreement was procedures whereby employers and employees can agree to convert holiday pay into paid leave. Read more about the collective agreement for the sector here (in Finnish).