Industry unions have announced a ban on overtime on pay and conditions due to ongoing controversy. They will also reject requests to change shifts if the request comes from management.
The Confederation of Finnish Industry, which represents Finnish light and heavy industry workers, announced on Friday that the ban on overtime will take effect on 4 December and will continue until 19 December.
The decision was made on Tuesday morning after discussions between workers ‘and employers’ representatives on a new collective agreement in the sector. The previous agreement expired in November.
The ban on overtime, which affects around 150 000 workers, does not apply to emergencies or work deemed necessary for the protection of human health or life.
By Riku Aalto, President of the Confederation of Finnish Industry, the ban on overtime has a significant impact on companies.
"The employment situation is good, but there is a shortage of components. Equipment is missing components and when they become available, assembly often takes place during overtime," he said, pointing out how some units had to close within six hours of the overtime ban imposed two years ago.
Representatives of the Confederation of Finnish Industry said that the organization was ready to continue discussions with the Technology Industry Employers’ Association, which represents employers.
However, the Confederation of Industry has warned that it could take stronger industrial action before returning to the negotiating table if its demands are not met.
On Tuesday, talks were suspended less than two hours after they began, and both sides agreed to suspend talks if representatives could not reach agreement on key issues.
Although a number of issues were agreed, the main points of contention were the level of the proposed wage increases and the length of the collective bargaining period.
Source: The Nordic Page