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New Collective Agreement for Finnish Paperworkers

Finland -The Finnish Forest Industries Federation and the Finnish Paper Worker’s Union have signed a new collective agreement. The deal covers paper industry workers from June 1, 2008 until March 2010. The present collective agreement runs out at the end of this month.

Wages will increase by roughly 4% annually, and the pay system will be restructured to promote multiple skills on behalf of employees. The new structure will emphasize task diversification, as well as training promoted through incentives and personal development plans. A provision has also been developed to improve the availability of labour in order to support business operations. Solutions have been built into the agreement that will allow plants to adopt flexible working hour models, in order to ameliorate occupational well-being and to strengthen job security.

“One important goal of the agreement is to increase real cooperation at the national and local level, noted Jouko Ahonen, president of the Finnish Paper Workers’ Union. “I also consider it positive that we were able to reach an agreement in good time before the expiration of the old agreement, without outside assistance and without confrontation.”