All workers must have the same rights and obligations, such as the right to organize and the right to equal pay and the same working conditions.
Finland cannot shift the burden of its own labor shortage to other countries. Basic services in countries of origin must not be undermined and the education system must not be distorted to produce professionals for other countries.
FIPSU requires adequate resources to monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of employment of foreign workers. Stricter sanctions must be imposed for the exploitation of workers, blackmail and discrimination against workers.
Ethical principles emphasize language skills and the responsibility of the employer in language training. Employees who are unable to work directly in the tasks for which they have been trained must be provided with a training route that guarantees equivalent skills in accordance with Finnish training, adequate language skills and employment as soon as possible for which the training was provided.
Ethics and compliance with collective agreements and legislation must be taken into account in public sector tendering and procurement. Procurement and subcontracting need to be better controlled.
FIPSU emphasizes the importance of family reunification to help employees coming from abroad to engage in Finnish society and working life.
In its own work, FIPSU is committed to promoting the integration of immigrants. By working together, labor migration can be made ethically sustainable.
FIPSU, the international network of Finnish public service unions, supports the international defense and EU co-operation of seven public sector trade unions. The allied unions of FIPSU are the Trade Union Jyty, the Trade Union Pro, the Trade Union Unio, the Trade Union of the Public and Welfare Sector JHL, the Finnish Trade Union Confederation (OAJ), the Finnish Association of Practical Nurses (SuPer) and the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals.
FIPSU requires it
- Recruitment of foreign labor must be done ethically, and Finland must not shift the burden of its own labor shortage to other countries. Changing a country’s professional workforce must not undermine that country’s basic services or distort the education system to produce professionals for other countries.
- All parties involved in the labor recruitment process must comply with the legislation and the applicable Finnish collective agreement. The employer is responsible for ensuring that the foreign employee has all the necessary permits to stay, work and pursue a profession in Finland.
- recruitment is a controlled activity. No direct or indirect costs of organizing the work may be charged to the recruited person.
- When recruiting from abroad, the employer must ensure that the employee already receives sufficient information about the workplace, work tasks, language and professional qualification requirements, working conditions, employees’ rights obligations and trade union activities, as well as information about Finnish society and legislation.
- the recruitment of foreign labor must not create a parallel labor market. All workers must have the same rights and obligations, such as the right to organize and the right to equal pay and the same working conditions.
- professionals from other countries are selected for the tasks for which they have been trained and for which they are qualified. Employees who are unable to work directly in the tasks for which they have been trained must be provided with a training route that guarantees equivalent skills in accordance with Finnish training, adequate language skills and employment as soon as possible for which the training was provided.
- the employer must offer language courses to employees during both recruitment and employment. Different tasks require different general and professional language skills. Language training must be provided during working hours to ensure that the employee has sufficient language skills for the job. Adequate language skills mean that the safety of the client is not endangered and the occupational safety of the employee and the work community is not endangered.
- An integration training route will be created for those coming to work in Finland, which will support both general and professional language skills and awareness of working life. Diverse language skills enable full membership in the work community and society.
- sufficient resources must be set aside to monitor compliance with the working conditions of foreign workers. Stricter sanctions must be imposed for the exploitation of workers, blackmail and discrimination against workers.
- responsible procurement of goods and services is needed to prevent labor trade and the exploitation of foreign workers. Procurement and subcontracting need to be better controlled and minimum working conditions need to be included in public procurement contracts as a whole.
- The education and employment of immigrants living in Finland will be supported, with particular emphasis on women’s employment.
- the rules of working life must be fair to all and working conditions in order. The workplace must have a zero-tolerance policy on inappropriate behavior, discrimination and racism.
- the employer must enable two-way integration by providing training for staff and coaching supervisors in diversity management.
- The Finnish government, municipalities and employers are preparing for the challenges and costs of immigration of family members of foreign workers. The need for public services is growing and diversifying. It is also necessary to prepare for the fact that foreign workers and their family members are covered by the Finnish social service system.
- Family reunification must be facilitated so that immigrants can be integrated and committed to Finnish society and working life.
As trade unions, we are committed to promoting the integration and participation of immigrants in Finnish working life as equal members of society.
Source: Finnish Association of Public Services
Source: The Nordic Page