PAM declared overtime ban within the facility service sector

The overtime ban means that workers in the facilities services sector – cleaners, janitors, building managers – will work their normal shifts, but will refuse to work overtime. The overtime ban is meant to speed up the collective agreement negotiations in the facilities services sector. The over time ban is force for the time beeing.

The Real Estate Employers have proposed drastic cutbacks in employees’ working conditions. Among other things, they are proposing ending all compensation for Saturdays, evenings preceding public holidays, Sundays and weekday public holidays and various extensions to daily working time that employers could unilaterally impose on employees. According to PAM’s calculations the proposal would cut labour costs in the sector by 8 per cent. At the same time progress round the negotiating table has been lamentable. Employers have shown no understanding for PAM’s drafting objectives and pay rise demands.

The situation led to a walkout today by PAM workers at ISS Palvelut’s service centre and UPM Kymmene’s Kaukas paper mill and by workers at N-Clean in Saariselkä and Ivalo. They later returned to their workplaces. “If bonuses are at risk, that’s not good at all”, is how Tea Määttänen, shop steward of the workers at the service centre, summed up the atmosphere.

According to PAM President Ann Selin, the negotiations have not reached the stage where solutions are genuinely being sought. Trust between the parties is also in short supply.

According to the employers’ federation, the situation has resulted from PAM bringing matters outside the collective agreement to the negotiating table. In practice they are referring to a new association that the Real Estate Employers have been working with, especially in business and training policy matters. The association presents itself as representing employees in the sector.

“Nowadays training policy is largely lobbying. PAM also represents workers in the sector in training policy. However, we don’t see eye to eye with the employers’ federation on everything.”

Now the Real Estate Employers have said that they have decided to continue working with this association, which has no representativeness or influence in the labour market.

“PAM does not face a similar situation with any other employers’ federation, and never has. This doesn’t add to the trust needed in the negotiations”, Selin states.

Summary of collective agreement proposals by PAM and Real Estate Employers