I demanded that trade unions name measures that would help improve the employment rate. I received familiar answers: investing in know-how and in research and development.
What does that mean? How will investing in top-flight expertise create jobs for blue-collar workers and the jobless? I wanted some simple, concrete examples. Lauri Ihalainen from the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, Mikko Mäenpää from the Confederation of Salaried Employees, and Risto Piekka from the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals all took slightly under one hour to tell me their strategy for the manuscript of Finland's success.
Only Piekka provided a comprehensible presentation of his employment proposals.
Leif Fagernäs from the Confederation of Finnish Industries and Jussi Järventaus from the Federation of Finnish Enterprises answered the exact same questions in around 20 minutes. Their employment methods were also easy to understand.
Of course, it is easier for the employer side to propose dramatic solutions than for trade union bosses. However, increasing employment is the mutual goal of everyone, and there are no soft solutions to the issue.
As a regular wage-earner, I am very concerned if only the employers can explain to me in a brief, clear, and comprehensible way how new jobs are created.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 26.3.2005
