Professionals of Business and Technology takes part in Akava’s protest

Professionals of Business and Technology will participate in a protest coordinated by Akava on February 6.

“We have patiently tried to engage in dialogue on the Government Programme’s working-life entries, but all the solutions we have presented seem to have fallen on deaf ears, unfortunately. The disappointment over the unilateral changes in working-life matters is now also coming to a boil on our side of the field in the form of a legal political protest,” says Jaakko Hyvönen, Chairman of the Board.

We have patiently tried to engage in dialogue on the Government Programme’s working-life entries, but unfotunately, all the solutions we have presented seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

If implemented, the Government’s entries would significantly weaken the position of employees on many different levels. Looser grounds for fixed-term employment, facilitation of dismissal and the weakening of social security increase uncertainty, especially for young professionals.

“We are concerned about the image that young people will get of working life in this tense situation. Young people’s ability to cope is already being put to the test, and they are the ones who are supposed to be supporting our ageing nation in the future,” says Hyvönen.

The Government wants to reform the labor market model by way of legislation, where the so-called export model would be written into law. If realized, other industries could not cross the line of export unions and, at the same time, it would tie the hands of the national conciliator.

“A legislative reform of the labor market model is not the way to go. There has been a lot of talk about the Swedish model, forgetting that the Swedish Government does not participate in labor market activities there,” says Ville-Veikko Rantamaula, Director of Advocacy.

Akava and Professionals of Business and Technology have repeatedly presented alternatives and solutions to working life issues that would bring about more balanced reforms. Professionals of Business and Technology shares concerns about the difficult economic landscape and employment situation, but the range of means to solve them must be expanded.

“It seems that, instead of a sincere working-life reform, the actions of the Government have slipped more to the side of ideology, which only works to increase the divide. Hopefully, our message will now finally be taken seriously and the employees’ perspectives will be better taken into account in the implementation of working-life entries,” says Rantamaula.

“We are still willing to do our part in discussing and reforming working life, but the changes must be based on a broader overall review and impact assessments,” says Rantamaula.

“We sincerely hope that the Finnish Government will now be more willing to jointly search for employee-oriented solutions to difficult questions. A highly educated professional should be able to have other entries on their curriculum vitae aside from participation in protests,” says Hyvönen.

The members of Professionals of Business and Technology will participate in the walkouts in Turku, Tampere and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area on February 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to demonstrate their disappointment in the implementation of the working-life cuts. In the aforementioned cities, all our members working in the private sector, regardless of the industry, including universities of applied sciences and universities, will participate in the walkouts. Public-sector members and other members in public-service employment relationships are not included in the scope of the walkouts. The political protest is legal and not directed at collective agreements.

For more information:

Jaakko Hyvönen, Chairman of the Board; p. 040 515 8591

Ville-Veikko Rantamaula, Director, Advocacy; p. 040 832 6682