The Finnish Commerce Federation condemns walkouts and work stoppages
The Finnish Commerce Federation condemns the walkouts and work stoppages against companies in the commerce sector as illegal industrial action. These disturbances reduce confidence in the functionality of the collective agreement system as a whole. The measures taken during the Christmas trade, which is essential for the commerce sector, also cause disproportionate harm to commerce companies and customers.
The Finnish Commerce Federation strongly condemns the disturbing of the industrial peace in the commerce sector. These condemnable actions include walkouts, work stoppages and quiet moments with announcements. The Collective Agreement for the Commercial Sector, negotiated by the Finnish Commerce Federation and the Service Union United PAM, is still in force and will expire at the end of January 2023.
“While the collective agreement is in force, there is industrial peace, which the parties to the collective agreement have committed to observe and supervise. Industrial action or threatening it during the contract period is unequivocally illegal,” says Anna Lavikkala, Labour Market Director at the Finnish Commerce Federation.
Workers’ right to strike is protected by law, but it is limited to the time after the end of the collective agreement. Actions such as walkouts and quiet moments implemented during the contract period are examples of illegal industrial action that the Finnish Commerce Federation will submit to the Labour Court for assessment.
In particular, illegal industrial action on days significant for trade is causing disproportionate damage to companies in the commerce sector and their customers. The victims are the external parties who are not involved in the measures.
“Such unrest undermines the confidence the employers have in the collective agreement system and shows that the current legislation concerning industrial peace does not work. The Finnish Commerce Federation hopes that the situation will calm down so that the working group effort carried out by the Finnish Commerce Federation and PAM can be continued and that there will be a constructive atmosphere in the preparations for the upcoming collective agreement negotiations in January that concern working conditions and pay increases in the commerce sector,” Lavikkala says.
The Finnish Commerce Federation calls on companies in the sector to contact the Finnish Commerce Federation immediately about any illegal industrial action.
For further information, please contact:
Anna Lavikkala, Labour Market Director, Finnish Commerce Federation, tel. +358 (0)40 040 6088, anna.lavikkala(at)kauppa.fi
