Union of Practical Nurses accepts municipal pay deal

print this

The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses (SuPer) has accepted the deal offered by municipal employers for a new labour contract. The delegate council of the union accepted the deal by a vote of 30 to 4. Both the executive of the union, and SuPer chairman Juhani Palomäki were in favour of the contract.
      Meanwhile, the other big union in the caring field, the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy), will decide on the issue on Saturday. SuPer indicated that if Tehy goes on strike, it will do so on its own.
     
Although the vote was overwhelming, the decision was not an easy one. "It was very difficult to make a decision", said union chairman Palomäki, who said that he favoured agreeing to the contract when the employers' side brought their most recent offer to the table. At that point, Palomäki's tone became more moderate, and he stopped talking about industrial action.
      "Warning bells started going off when the Commission for Local Authority Employers (KT) put forward a higher offer than industrial employers did. The KT offer was 12 per cent, with no local bargaining or steps backward. In these conditions we felt that we had achieved a reasonable result and life goes on."
      Palomäki does not neglect to mention that the high overall pay hike, which all municipal employees are getting, is the result of "the tremendous work by Tehy and SuPer".
     
Now all eyes are on Tehy, which gives its response to the offer on Saturday.
      Tehy and SuPer have a common negotiation organisation, TNJ. The municipal employers have emphasised that TNJ is seen as a single whole in the municipal contract process. This means that it wants both Tehy and SuPer to be either in or out of the contract.
      Palomäki pondered the various options last weekend, calling different parts of the country to ascertain the background. He is also believed to have considered whether or not the employers might accept SuPer into the contract without Tehy.
     
One person who knows the answer is Markku Jalonen, labour market leader at KT, and he is not saying, while Tehy considers its options.
     
SuPer leader Palomäki did not want anticipate what would happen during the weekend. "Tehy has a difficult situation on Saturday, and I don't want to stir up that soup."
      TNJ will meet on Monday morning. If Tehy and SuPer are in agreement on accepting the contract, the meeting will be short, and both organisations will sign the contract on the same day at 4:00 PM.
      If Tehy does not accept the contract, it will probably go on strike. In such a situation SuPer will have two options - either to sign the contract on its own, or stay outside of the action under the terms of the old contracts to see what Tehy achieves with its action.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  COMMENTARY: Companies entering wage talks to pay for Katainen gaffe (25.9.2007)
  White collar union leader wants more flexibility in municipal pay levels (24.9.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat