Trade unions did not warm up to the Government’s softened version of the dismissal law
Individual dismissals have raised emotions since spring this year. Image: Gettyimages
The Government announced that the easing of dismissals would only apply to businesses with less than 10 employees. The trade union movement did not warm up to this and a couple of other concessions.
The Minister of Employment Jari Lindström (Blue Reform) reported on Tuesday on changes, based on the opinions given, made to the draft amending legislation on individual dismissals. The amended legislation would only apply to businesses with less than 10, not 20, employees. The new limit would, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, cover approximately 22% of wage-earners compared to the previously proposed scope of 31% of wage-earners.
In addition, the uncompensated waiting period for the unemployment protection would be cut from 90 to 60 days. The shorter waiting period would apply to all employees who have been dismissed on person-based grounds, regardless of the size of the employer. Lindström also said that the Government is ready to set up a tripartite working group for further preparations of amendments to the Act on Cooperation within Undertakings.
Wage-earners did not change their stance. The biggest Central Organisation of Trade Unions SAK told already on Monday that softening the contents of the draft amending proposal will not call off the political strikes planned for today. It would require stopping the planning of amendments altogether. Approximately 500 SAK union decision-makers will convene this Friday to work out further actions due to planned amendments to dismissal rules. PAM is a member of SAK.
Central STTK, the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees, remained firm on its position of not accepting any changes to the Employment Contracts Act which would put the employees in an unequal position in terms of dismissal grounds, depending on the size of their employer. Trade union Pro, representing private sector experts and managerial staff, announced in its press release that the new Government proposal does not remove the weaknesses of the dismissal law.
The Government will continue the preparations to amend the Employment Contracts Act and submits its draft amending proposal to the Parliament of Finland in November.