Collective agreement

A collective agreement benefits each academic

It is not sensible for every employee to try to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment with their employer on their own. That is why a collective agreement is needed. A collective agreement creates a common framework for employment, benefiting each employee. An employment contract concluded with the employer is, therefore, insufficient.

A collective agreement is used to agree on the terms and conditions of employment precisely suited for the industry or field in question. A collective agreement affects salaries and much more. It covers the status of shop stewards, annual holidays, the conditions of family leave, holiday pay, total working hours and dispute procedures, to name a few.

The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers has members in various workplaces in both the public and private sectors. The university sector is the largest employer of the union’s members. In university, state and municipal negotiations, the members of the union are represented by the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO. The Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN engages in negotiations on behalf of academics working in the private sector.

In collective agreement negotiations, the union steadfastly advocates for its members. Some of the key goals of the union include ensuring fair wage development, improving the status of fixed-term employees and developing occupational well-being.

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