Incomes agreement reached in technology industry
Employers say contract promotes recovery
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Agreement was reached on a labour contract for the technology industry Thursday night. The three-year agreement takes effect in October.
This autumn, pay hikes will be agreed on locally, leading to an increase of costs of 0.5 per cent.
The pay increases of the following years will be negotiated separately in April-May of each year.
The talks stretched out past midnight. In the spring, negotiations between the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries and the Metalworkers’ Union broke down over a disagreement on pay hikes. The two sides returned to the negotiating table on Thursday afternoon.
The union had called for an overall pay hike of 0.7 per cent, but the management side said that the sticking point was both the level of the pay hike, and the desire by the union side to give all employees a general pay increase.
The 0.5 per cent hike, which is to be implemented this year, leaves leeway for separate agreements at individual work places.
Pay hikes for the second and third years of the contract were left open, pending separate negotiations.
The contract won praise on all sides.
The Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK) says that the result is an important opening in a difficult economic situation, and that the contract promotes economic recovery.
EK says that combined with previously reached pay deals, the contract means a decline in total labour costs next year.
Lauri Lyly, President of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), said that the contract shows that management and labour are capable of acting responsibly even in a difficult economic situation.
Lyly said that he hopes that the opening in a large export industry will also help other sectors reach agreement.
“From the wage earner’s point of view, it is significant that in the new technology industry contract we managed to reject all proposals to weaken the outcome. In general terms, the content of the labour contract was developed”, Lyly says.
He also feels that it is significant that it was possible to agree on pay increases even in the present economic situation.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) praised the pay agreement reached in the technology industry. He said that the contract seeks to secure long-term competitiveness in the field, and to promote employment.
In the Prime Minister’s view, the technology industry is a sector which allows Finland to grab on to the budding growth in the world economy. He especially welcomed the fact that the agreement was reached ahead of schedule.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 21.8.2009 - TODAY |
 Incomes agreement reached in technology industry |
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