Military cuts have greatest impact on civilian employees

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Most of the 1,200 people whose jobs are to be cut by the Defence Forces are civilian employees of the military.
      The planned restructuring, involving the elimination of 2,200 jobs in the coming three years, was announced on Wednesday. In addition to those who will be made redundant, 1,000 will leave through retirement and various partnership arrangements.
      The Finnish Defence Forces currently employ about 15,000 people.
     
The current government policy programme calls for a ten-per cent cut in defence spending.
      The proposal calls for the closure of six garrisons, and the administrative merger of some others.
      At the beginning of 2015 there will be just 16 garrisons left, eight of which will be with the Army, four in the Navy, and four in the Air Force.
     
Chief of Defence Ari Puheloinen estimates that shutting down one garrison affects an average of 200 employees.
      Staff cuts, garrison closures, and new arrangements are expected to bring annual savings of at least EUR 115 million.
      Materiel acquisitions are to be reduced permanently by 25-30 per cent from the present level. The defence administration indicates that Finland will continue to invest in modern arms technology.
     
In spite of the extensive structural change, conscription and regional defence will remain the primary defence strategy. Nevertheless the wartime strength of the reservist military will be cut from the present 350,000 soldiers to 230,000.
      The Defence Forces will also relinquish control over many of its large land holdings and buildings.
     
Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (Nat. Coalition Party) says that the government is in full agreement over the changes.
      He also said that the decision to shut down garrisons was made according to the needs of national defence and the economy, and that no political considerations were involved.
      Katainen says that the communities most affected by job cuts can be declared areas of rapid structural change, making it possible to provide assistance to those losing their jobs to find new work.
     
Minister of Defence Stefan Wallin (Swed. People’s Party) notes that other European countries have implemented much more severe cutbacks than those planned for Finland.
      “Of the 27 NATO countries, the defence budget in 2011 was smaller than that of 2008 in 18 of the countries”, Wallin said.
      In the same period of time Finland’s defence spending grew from EUR 2.42 billion to EUR 2.86 billion.
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Significant cutbacks planned for Defence Forces (8.2.2012)
  Finnish Defence Forces have discussed temporary layoff of entire permanent staff (1.9.2011)

Links:
  Government Communications Unit: Reform of the Finnish Defence Forces to start
  Finnish Defence Forces

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