12 December, 2010
The Finnish Parliament, in an interpellation or action to proceed to a motion of confidence over the government, voted on 19 November to challenge the government more vehemently on measures to ensure full-time, permanent work. Lawmakers from all political parties, left to right, voted 105 to 67 to challenge the government’s job creation policies in a no confidence ballot aimed at stemming the grey economy.
The vote was highly significant since it did garner cross-party support and was met with little employer opposition. It also sets the stage for better and more worker-friendly amendments next year to the Finnish law on the Contractor’s Obligations and Liability when Work is Contracted Out.
The interpellation, initiated by Left Alliance Leader Paavo Arhinmäki, was supported by many parliamentarians of Finland’s centre-right ruling government, and very likely will lead to legislation that goes beyond the requirements of the European Union’s Directive on Temporary Agency Work. As well, any new legislation in Finland would likely limit the employers’ use of fixed-term contracts and prohibit employers from repeatedly using temporary workers when their need is a permanent workforce.
One trade union leader in the country said lack of business resistance to the interpellation vote is a clear signal that employers realize productivity is better and Finnish society as a whole benefits when full-time employment is the norm.
Last month’s interpellation vote was preceded by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) publishing a list of 25 proposals that should be contained in legislation to stifle the grey economy. One such proposal would give more power to the country’s trade unions to enforce, through courts and other venues, nefarious work practices.