Strike in the security guarding sector to go ahead – mediation ended without any settlement proposal
The mediation in the security guarding sector ended unsuccessfully today Monday. The National Conciliator Vuokko Piekkala considered that the conditions did not appear to be in place to propose a settlement. Therefore a strike affecting the entire security guarding sector will start in accordance as previously announced on Wednesday 24 October straight after midnight.
The parties had reached an understanding on the cost impact of pay increases. Now the disagreement is mainly about how the increases will be allocated. In PAM’s opinion it is strange that the employers are no prepared to reward experienced and professional employees who have been in the sector a long time in the way PAM proposed.
"These are the very people who are the backbone of companies, and their skills are an important factor when customers put security guarding services out to tender. Those who can show they have professional workers are also likely to win the best contracts", states PAM President Ann Selin.
Reaching a pay settlement is key in this labour dispute, but there is also disagreement on other points in the text.
”We deeply regret the actions of some employers which aim to break the strike in advance by intimidating workers. We have filed a claim to the employers’ federation concerning Securitas Oy and Securitas Palvelut Oy, whose actions have been most objectionable. We demand that these companies end their strike-breaking actions immediately”, Selin adds.
The three-day strike in the security guarding sector will begin on Wednesday 24 October and end at midnight on Friday 26 October. Collective agreement negotiations for the security guarding sector have been going on since the spring between PAM and Service Sector Employers Palta. Excluded from the strike are emergency work and work where the strike would endanger critical societal functions or would cause significant harm to the public interest.
The collective agreement for the security guarding sector covers around 8500 employees including security guards, security inspectors, janitors and cash in transit drivers. The agreement is generally binding. The sector has been in a state of non-agreement since 1 May 2018, after the previous collective agreement period ended on 30 April 2018.