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Strike begins in the technology industry:
Both unions and employers turned down the proposal of the National
Conciliator
Helsinki (21.10.2011 - Juhani Artto) About 30,000 salaried and wage
employees at 37 technology industry companies began a strike 6 a.m. on
Friday. The proposal put forward by the National Conciliator, Esa Lonka, was
rejected by both the employers and the three unions representing the
employees. The unions involved in the dispute are the private sector
salaried employees' union Pro, the Metalworkers' Union and the Electrical
Workers' Union.
The major stumbling block was the pay structure presented by the National
Conciliator. The Metalworkers' Union wants a solution whereby a large part
of the pay rise awards translate as equal amounts of cents for all with the
locally negotiable share of the pay rises remaining minimal. In his
statement Pro's President Antti Rinne says that the proposal did not
guarantee equal minimum pay rises to all and that too large a share of the
pay rises was left at the employers discretion.
Another disagreement concerned the annual three days of paid training leave
promised in the framework agreement signed by the union and employer
confederations. In the technology industry negotiations the parties have
tried to find common understanding on how to apply the framework agreement
in the industry-specific agreements.
The strike will last until November 7 unless the parties can reach an
agreement before that date. Senior salaried employees will join the strike
on November 1 if the strike is still ongoing. The unions involved have
declared an overtime ban in the entire technology industry.
The conflict in the technology industry casts doubts on the fate of the
confederation level framework agreement.
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