Ministry: Nurse resignations could cost lives
Tehy invited for discussions
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The threatened mass resignations by members of the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy) could lead to the loss of lives or increased disabilities, warns the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The ministry drew its conclusions on the basis of reports it had received from Finland's health care districts. The ministry says that the situation gives cause for concern.
According to the health care districts, serious illnesses could be left untreated, while diagnosis and care are delayed and errors in patient treatment are possible.
The ministry says that the availability of urgent care could be reduced significantly if the action is implemented.
It would be difficult to assign other employees to fill in for those taking part in the action, because the jobs of many of those who are resigning require special skills.
The ministry has invited representatives of Tehy to a meeting on Thursday to discuss issues of patient safety.
It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to deal with issues of patient safety during a possible labour dispute. Nevertheless, the ministry emphasises that it is not a party to the conflict, and cannot take issue with the content of the negotiations.
Plans are currently being drawn up in Finland's health care districts on how the most urgent activities can be secured. The ministry, meanwhile, is considering what kinds of national guidelines are needed for dealing with the labour dispute.
If no progress is made, the resignations - involving as many as 12,000 or more nurses - would take effect on November 19th.
The Commission for Local Authority Employers of Finland, which represents Finnish municipalities in the conflict, has asked the government to take action so that the most urgent and necessary treatments might be excluded from the industrial action. Such action would include the preparation of legislation, the association says.
There are no plans for any such legislation.
Legal experts say that under current legislation, the government does not have legal authority to intervene. Resignation falls outside the law on mediation in labour conflicts - except to the extent that a solution is being sought through the mediation of the Office of the National Conciliator.
The Ministry of Labour would be authorised to postpone a labour conflict, but in light of the resignations submitted by the nurses, the postponement would have no meaning in this case, says Kari-Pekka Tiitinen, Professor of Labour Law at the University of Helsinki.
The local authority employers are nevertheless bringing legal action against Tehy in Finland's Labour Court.
The employers' side say that mass resignation is not a form of industrial action that is recognised by law.
Some two weeks ago, the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy), which represents trained professionals in the social and health care sector, announced that it is aiming for a 24 per cent pay increase over the next two and a half years.
Such a move would mean an incremental increase in monthly pay amounting to a rise of between EUR 400 and EUR 600 by January 2010. Nurses feel aggrieved that they have fallen by the wayside in earlier wage negotiations, and have also cited references to similar-sized increases made by certain politicians in the run-up to elections earlier this year.
The union also said that it would call for mass resignations of health care workers to press its demands. The resignation weapon is seen as more effective than a traditional strike, because striking health care workers would still be required to maintain a basic level of service.
Whilst there are dangers for the nurses inherent in their summarily terminating their contracts, as employers could refuse to reinstate them, the general shortage of nursing staff is likely to work in their favour, and union leaders do not feel that there is any risk involved to individual employees.
The union insists it will not accept any contract until all members are taken back to work under the previous terms.
In spite of fears for the consequences of action on November 19th, the nurses enjoy a fairly strong measure of sympathy within the Finnish public, although a recent survey commissioned by the commercial television station Nelonen showed roughly half regarded the wage demands as excessive.
Some 52% of women and 48% of male respondents were of this opinion, while 39% of all respondents felt the demands were fair, and 2% took the view that the nurses should be asking for more.
The ministry drew its conclusions on the basis of reports it had received from Finland's health care districts. The ministry says that the situation gives cause for concern.
According to the health care districts, serious illnesses could be left untreated, while diagnosis and care are delayed and errors in patient treatment are possible.
The ministry says that the availability of urgent care could be reduced significantly if the action is implemented.
It would be difficult to assign other employees to fill in for those taking part in the action, because the jobs of many of those who are resigning require special skills.
The ministry has invited representatives of Tehy to a meeting on Thursday to discuss issues of patient safety.
It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to deal with issues of patient safety during a possible labour dispute. Nevertheless, the ministry emphasises that it is not a party to the conflict, and cannot take issue with the content of the negotiations.
Plans are currently being drawn up in Finland's health care districts on how the most urgent activities can be secured. The ministry, meanwhile, is considering what kinds of national guidelines are needed for dealing with the labour dispute.
If no progress is made, the resignations - involving as many as 12,000 or more nurses - would take effect on November 19th.
The Commission for Local Authority Employers of Finland, which represents Finnish municipalities in the conflict, has asked the government to take action so that the most urgent and necessary treatments might be excluded from the industrial action. Such action would include the preparation of legislation, the association says.
There are no plans for any such legislation.
Legal experts say that under current legislation, the government does not have legal authority to intervene. Resignation falls outside the law on mediation in labour conflicts - except to the extent that a solution is being sought through the mediation of the Office of the National Conciliator.
The Ministry of Labour would be authorised to postpone a labour conflict, but in light of the resignations submitted by the nurses, the postponement would have no meaning in this case, says Kari-Pekka Tiitinen, Professor of Labour Law at the University of Helsinki.
The local authority employers are nevertheless bringing legal action against Tehy in Finland's Labour Court.
The employers' side say that mass resignation is not a form of industrial action that is recognised by law.
Some two weeks ago, the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy), which represents trained professionals in the social and health care sector, announced that it is aiming for a 24 per cent pay increase over the next two and a half years.
Such a move would mean an incremental increase in monthly pay amounting to a rise of between EUR 400 and EUR 600 by January 2010. Nurses feel aggrieved that they have fallen by the wayside in earlier wage negotiations, and have also cited references to similar-sized increases made by certain politicians in the run-up to elections earlier this year.
The union also said that it would call for mass resignations of health care workers to press its demands. The resignation weapon is seen as more effective than a traditional strike, because striking health care workers would still be required to maintain a basic level of service.
Whilst there are dangers for the nurses inherent in their summarily terminating their contracts, as employers could refuse to reinstate them, the general shortage of nursing staff is likely to work in their favour, and union leaders do not feel that there is any risk involved to individual employees.
The union insists it will not accept any contract until all members are taken back to work under the previous terms.
In spite of fears for the consequences of action on November 19th, the nurses enjoy a fairly strong measure of sympathy within the Finnish public, although a recent survey commissioned by the commercial television station Nelonen showed roughly half regarded the wage demands as excessive.
Some 52% of women and 48% of male respondents were of this opinion, while 39% of all respondents felt the demands were fair, and 2% took the view that the nurses should be asking for more.
Helsingin Sanomat