Finland desperately needs growth. Growth is generated by skilled and innovative professionals. Universities educate these professionals, and high-class professionals who generate growth and innovations work at universities. This has also been highlighted in the final report of Risto Murto’s working group’s Kasvuriihi project, which states that the creative research conducted at universities forms the basis for both high-quality teaching and long-term and ambitious R&D cooperation with innovative companies.
It is therefore generally recognized and acknowledged that Finland’s competitiveness is based on human capital. Finland either rises or falls depending on how we value education, training, and competence. Currently, we are in a situation where the collective agreement for university staff expired at the end of March, and the employer proposes significant deteriorations in working conditions, and negotiations on salary adjustments have not progressed. This is shameful, especially when the employee side is not making unrealistic demands but is calling for measures aimed at workload and well-being at work, as well as a fair salary solution.
Now, not only is this round of collective agreement being resolved, but the long-term attractiveness of science and research is being strengthened.
Universities have long been in a salary pit. Postdoctoral researcher Pauli Väisänen states in a blog that the real salaries of university teaching and research staff have decreased by about 7–13% during the years 2010–2023. Universities cannot boast about the stability of their employment relationships either. 70 percent of teaching and research staff are in fixed-term employment relationships. When doctoral researchers are removed from the statistics on fixed-term employment, the figure is still alarmingly high, about 60%.
Most Finnish universities have the HR Excellence in Research quality label, which requires commitment to the European Charter for Researchers. Its purpose has been to ensure the attractiveness of research careers and thereby ensure the EU’s competitiveness. We are still far from its recommendation, which states that employers and/or funders must ensure that researchers’ work is not hindered by unstable employment contracts. Universities must therefore do their best to improve the stability of researchers’ working conditions.
Now, not only is this round of collective agreement being resolved, but the long-term attractiveness of science and research is being strengthened. It has a significant impact on our competitiveness in the future. The appreciation of research and science starts with competitive salaries and working conditions that support work.
Nina Hahtela
Executive Director of the Union of Research Professionals