4 November, 2011The professional and managerial staff organization YTN turned down the employers' proposal and called a strike for 10 000 members, starting November 1, when they were refused a similar wage increase model as the Metalworkers' Union and the salaried employees' union Pro obtained on October 25.
FINLAND: The employers' proposal included a local increase of 0,8% which the employer would be able to divide unilaterally. In practice, senior salaried employees would get increases that were lower than other staff groups, and under the frame set in the comprehensive income policy agreement.
Another contentious question was compensation for travels outside of working hours.
Strike began on November 1 for 10 000 YTN members in 40 metal sector companies in Finland, and can expand to 25 000 members in 40 additional companies, among them Nokia, on November 7 if no agreement is reached before that. A conciliation proposal is expected on Sunday, November 6.
Two IMF affiliates in Finland, the Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland (TEK) and The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland (UIL) are members of the Delegation of Professional and Managerial Employees, YTN.
Update, November 6: Strike ends
On November 6 the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN approved the conciliation proposal by the State Conciliator, ending the strike. Also the overtime ban has been removed.
The agreement between YTN and the technology industry employers is similar to the one obtained by the Metalworkers' Union and Pro; wages will be raised from the beginning of October by 1,6 per cent, plus a local share of 0,8 percent, paid to all, if no other agreement is reached locally. At the beginning of 2012 a lump sum of 150 Euro will be paid, and in November 2012 there will be a general rise of 1,3 percent with a 0,6 percent local share. Concerning compensation for travels outside of working hours, no improvements were reached as it wasn't possible to fit them into the national framework agreement negotiated earlier.
The IMF congratulates YTN for the positive achievement.