Press releases

Agreement reached on labour dispute in commerce sector - Negotiation result approved by the Finnish Commerce Federation and PAM 

Terms of employment and salaries of employees and supervisors in the commerce sector have now been agreed for a three-year period. The agreement period and pay agreement are in accordance with the so-called general policy. The salary increases will be 7.8 per cent over three years. The new collective agreements are valid until 31 January 2028.

Negotiation result for the commerce sector  

Today, on Tuesday, the Finnish Commerce Federation and the Service Union United PAM have reached agreement in the collective agreement and wage negotiations concerning the commerce sector. The solution will be discussed next in the administrations of both unions.  

Growth cannot be achieved without service sectors – quickly effective reduction of labour taxation at the heart of growth measures

Finland’s economic growth needs to be accelerated through the mid-term review's decisions. Service sector organisations are demanding that the government reduce labour taxation and take measures to improve productivity. Economic growth cannot be achieved without private service sectors which already account for more than half of GDP.

Finnish Commerce Federation: PAM’s new strike announcements jeopardise the already negotiated solutions and delay settlement – Now targeting technical trade and specialty goods trade 

On Friday 28 February 2025, Service Union United PAM announced that it will suspend the negotiations over the Collective Agreement for the Commercial Sector. Today, it has announced two-day strikes in technical trade and specialty goods trade for 20 and 21 March 2025. There have been active collective agreement negotiations since 8 January. Common, important goals that have been prepared for a long time, such as the pay system reform for salespeople, have been reached during the negotiations.

PAM’s commerce sector strikes to take place – no prerequisites for an agreement

On Friday 31 January, Service Union United PAM announced massive strikes in the commerce sector. The strikes will particularly target the largest logistics and daily consumer goods trade operators in the commerce sector. The Finnish Commerce Federation has been actively negotiating with PAM under the direction of the National Conciliator since the beginning of February and has sought to find joint solutions to reach a result. However, the parties are still far from a mutual agreement in terms of their objectives. As previously announced, the commerce sector's strikes will begin on Monday, 17 February.

Government plans extensive sugar taxation – commerce sector warns of administrative chaos 

The government is proposing an increase in VAT on chocolate and sweets from 14 per cent to 25.5 per cent. The Finnish Commerce Federation warns that the change would be impossible for companies to implement within the proposed time-frame and would cause an enormous administrative burden. There are also problems related to EU legislation. The federation contends that the government proposal should be dismissed.

Weak growth in the commerce sector is not enough to increase employment – the tax wedge of services should finally be reduced

The decline in retail trade's sales volume continued last year for the third consecutive year and will continue early this year. However, the Finnish Commerce Federation predicts that the sales volume will increase by approximately half a per cent this year and the growth will accelerate to approximately 1–1.5 per cent next year. The multiple tax wedge of services is burdensome to the international competitiveness of specialty goods trade in particular by weakening purchasing power and raising prices. The government’s mid-term review should focus on a tax policy that genuinely creates growth and supports the operating conditions of companies.