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29 November, 2011
Finland’s papermaking unions, Paperiliitto and Ammattiliitto Pro, have new 25-month labour agreements with the Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) that take effect in March 2012. That was assured yesterday, 28 November, after the employers’ association in the transport, ports, and shipping industry signed an accord with AKT, the Transport Drivers’ and Port Workers’ Union.
Even though the FFIF came to terms with the two ICEM affiliates separately in the pulp and paper sector last Wednesday, 23 November, the FFIF was unwilling to sign off on the agreement until they had a guarantee that strikes would not occur in the transportation and export of pulp and paper products.
The agreement in the paper sector follows a framework agreement made between the three national trade union confederations – SAK, STTK and STTK – and the Confederation of Finnish Industries on 13 October.
In March 2012, Ammattiliitto Pro members will receive a 1.6% across-the-board wage increase, in addition to an average 0.8% increase that will be negotiated locally and is part of a new salary structure. That amount will reward new work demands, personal skill developments, and greater efficiencies by workers on the local level.
Paperiliitto members will receive a 1.5% increase, with 0.9% to be negotiated locally.
Essentially, this new salary structure was recognized by employers through strike actions taken last spring by Ammattiliitto Pro, Finland’s white-collar and clerical workers’ union, which represents about 4,000 staff at some 50 paper enterprises.
In April 2013, the wage increase for Ammattillio Pro will be 1.3%, with a 0.6% award won on the new locally-negotiated salary structure. Paperiliitto's 2013 increase will be 1.2%, with 0.7% awarded locally.
Two other important aspects of the pulp and paper agreement include extra protection for workers when mills close. In effect, employers take on more responsibility for re-training and skill development, as well as workers given the flexibility to take new work in another enterprise and still qualify for redundancy benefits.
Also, shop stewards and safety representatives who receive slightly higher pay for their responsibilities will get a 10% supplement on top of that higher pay. The two unions also won a universal three-day paid leave annually for vocational training and education.
Both Petri Vanhala, President of Paperiliitto, and Markku Palokangas, Pro’s Vice President for the Industrial Sector, expressed satisfaction with the 25-month agreement, especially with the gains made through the national framework agreement. Paperiliitto represents some 19,000 blue-collar workers across Finland’s pulp and paper industry.