The negotiations for a new collective agreement at the university sector continued on Friday 28th February. Exactly two years ago, on the coldest day of the winter, the staff at the University of Helsinki striked historically for the first time. The strike was supported by ”We are the university” demonstrations in different university cities.
”Cold whiffs of air from two years ago were felt at the negotiations. The AFIEE is driving forward several weakenings of the terms of work”, says JUKO’s Chief Negotiator Katja Aho.
JUKO’s negotiators wonder how far the AFIEE’s objectives are from the Finnish governments plans laid out in the Vision for higher education and research in 2030. The vision includes an aim to make universities the best workplaces in Finland in 2030.
On Friday, there were lengthy discussions on the problem of high prevalence of fixed-term contracts at the universities. The employee’s parties presented statistics showing yet again that high prevalence of fixed-term contracts has continued for many years, and there hasn’t been any improvement on the issue regardless of working committees. The shop stewards at universities should have better information on the matter.
The negotiations will continue on the 4th of March.
At the university sector negotiations, JUKO is represented by Chief Negotiator Katja Aho (JUKO), Executive Director Tarja Niemelä (Finnish Union of University Professors), University Advocate Hanna Tanskanen (The Trade Union of Education in Finland, OAJ), Chief Negotiator Petri Toiviainen (Social Science Professionals), and Mia Weckman (The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers).
The collective bargaining at the university sector is conducted between JUKO, JHL, PRO and AFIEE. All agreements at the universities end on the 31st of March.
A member of Akava, Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO represents you and your union at the negotiations and negotiates the collective agreements for your workplace.
JUKO is an umbrella organisation negotiating on behalf of more than 200,000 municipal, state, university and church employees. JUKO also collectively bargains for agreements for Finnish National Gallery and Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
JUKO communicates about the negotiations with negotiation bulletins. Please follow JUKO’s website www.juko.fi, JUKO Facebook page and @JUKOry on Twitter with hashtags #neuvotellen2020 and #sopien2020 for more information.
More information
Chief Negotiator Katja Aho, 050 592 1646
katja.aho(at)juko.fi / Twitter @aho_katja