Defence Forces to cut 250 jobs - thousands of others to take new tasks or retire
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The Finnish Defence Forces have initiated a massive round of talks with its personnel on job cuts and reshuffles.
The talks involve 6,200 employees - about a third of the 17,000 full-time employees of the Defence Forces.
The discussions are part of a massive overhaul in which brigades, detachments, and military districts and other units are to be shut down. The Finnish military plans to cut costs by reducing a total of 1,200 man-work-years by 2012.
The reduction this year and next will be 700 man-work-years.
Most of the cutbacks will be taken care of by employees retiring, or leaving the military for other jobs. Other posts will be shut down completely, and many military employees will be offered new jobs within the Defence Forces.
Most of the discussions with personnel will involve changes in the content of the employees' work. Nearly 400 employees will see their jobs move to another community.
About 200 employees will actually lose their jobs. Another 40 to 50 are expected to refuse to relocate to another community, in which case they will have to seek other work.
The discussions are to be held in all parts of the country, and they apply to all personnel groups, both uniformed staff and civilian employees.
The first of the negotiations began already in late January. The process is expected to be completed during the spring and summer.
Many Defence Forces personnel have left voluntarily for jobs in the civilian sector. Jobs have been fairly easy to find, especially in the south of Finland. The Helsinki Air Defence Regiment in Tuusula is to shed 90 jobs. However, nearly 60 of the people in question have already found other work, and the number of actual layoffs may be as little as 12.
"Natural movement is noticeable. On the last Friday of each month, there are six or seven who leave", says Captain Pekka Linden, commandant of the regiment.
The situation becomes more difficult the further north the military installations are situated. For instance, of the approximately 100 jobs that are to be cut at the Savo Brigade, about half will involve the dismissal of an employee. Also, personnel who are to be cut from remote materiel depots are likely to find it fairly difficult to find alternate employment nearby.
As personnel cutbacks are being made, the Defence Forces are continuing a recruitment campaign in the press and on television.
Deputy personnel chief Hanno Strang sees no contradiction here. During the next six years one third of the present personnel of the Defence Forces are expected to reach retirement age.
"Even an organisation that is declining in numbers requires new, skilled labour. But it is clear that the target of the campaign is not for next year, but for a more distant future. We are trying to improve our image as an employer in the eyes of those who are still studying."
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 15.3.2006 - TODAY |
 Defence Forces to cut 250 jobs - thousands of others to take new tasks or retire |
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