New collective agreement in hotel, restaurant, and leisure industry
Service Union United PAM’s Executive Committee has unanimously accepted a new collective agreement for workers and supervisors in the hospitality sector. The agreement gives better possibilities to solve problems with getting to take breaks and makes it easier to promote the interests of workers at small workplaces.
PAM negotiated the agreement with the employers’ organisation Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa. A negotiation result was found as the old collective agreement period came to and end. The new agreement is in force from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024.
The agreement includes two wage increases. A 2 percent general raise comes into effect on 1 July 2022. The second wage increase shall be negotiated separately before 15 February 2023. If agreement on the second increase cannot be found, the whole collective agreement can be terminated to end on 31 March 2023.
PAM President Annika Rönni-Sällinen thinks it is good that the new collective agreement includes better and clearer rules on the right to breaks during both short and long shifts.
“Workers have a right to breaks for rest. Now the collective agreement is clearer, and the employer’s responsibility is strengthened”, Rönni-Sällinen says.
Part-time workers situation is improved among other things in terms of days off work. Going forward, also those who work fewer than five days a week will have the right to free weekends. Furthermore, a clear example of how the review of average minimum working hours is to be conducted is now included.
“It is not right that part-time workers continuously have to hunt for hours so they can get by and live with the unpredictability of working hours. Therefore, it is important that workers can trust that they will get the hours they have in their employment contract”, says Rönni-Sällinen.
One of the central improvements in terms of ensuring workers rights is increasing the release time for shop stewards by on average 3 hours a week.
“Before, in small businesses with less than 25 workers, the shop steward had no release from work to fulfil their duties as staff representative. This will now change, as even shop stewards at small businesses get a minimum of three hours a week release from work. This reform will strengthen workers standing and promote quicker intervention if there are problems at the workplace.”
The covid-19 pandemic has been hard on workers and employers alike. The impact on the negotiations cannot be understated, according to Rönni-Sällinen.
“Even so, an agreement could be reached in constructive cooperation with the employers”.