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Tight schedules speed up negotiations on how to apply
the framework
agreement
JHL (10.11.2011 - Juhani Artto)
This is a hectic time for the people involved in the collective
bargaining process at the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL.
The
deadlines to complete negotiations on how to apply the framework agreement,
signed by the labour market confederations on October 13, are fast
approaching.
The goal is to have new agreements ready in all sectors, represented by JHL,
by November 24. All other unions that have approved the framework agreement
as their bargaining starting point face the same challenge. The following
day the
labour market confederations will meet and conclude whether the framework
agreement has been approved broadly enough or not. The agreement will take
effect only if the approval rate is regarded as representative. If such a
conclusion cannot be made, the agreement will not bind the government to
honour its commitments i.e. keep its part of the bargain, and the entire
framework agreement will not take
effect.
JHL has about a dozen negotiations going on, bargaining with the municipal
and State employer representatives being the two major negotiations. The
framework agreement sets 4.3 per cent as the maximum cost impact of the new
agreements. The employers tend to push as much as possible for this rise to
be decided at local negotiations, whereas JHL and other unions emphasize the
need to give a large provision of the pay rises in equal amounts to all
employees.
The negotiations cover also the so-called qualitative elements of the
agreements. On JHL's agenda are, for example, proposals to improve
employees' possibilities to influence one's own working hours and to abolish
regulations that discriminate against temporary and part-time labour. JHL also strives for improvements on how the use of agency labour is regulated.
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