Mediation proposal concerning the labour dispute rejected

On 27 February the conciliator put forward a mediation proposal which was rejected by the Association of Finnish Independent Education Employers (AFIEE) representing universities. A strike affecting the University of Helsinki, which was announced by the labor unions Pardia, JHL, and JUKO, takes place on 28 February 2018.

This industrial action targets the University of Helsinki and has no impact on the personnel or activities of Aalto University.

On 20 February labour unions issued a strike warning applying to Aalto University, Hanken School of Economics, the University of the Arts Helsinki, Tampere University of Technology, the University of Vaasa and the University of Tampere.  The announced 24-hour strike would be on 7 March at 00.00–24.00.

The labour unions issued a new strike warning yesterday on 27 February. This new strike targets at University of Eastern Finland, University of Jyväskylä, University of Lapland, Lappeenranta University of Technology, University of Oulu, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The strike would take place on 14 March at 00.00–24.00.

The most important disagreements remain the reform of the pay system and the level of pay increases. With respect to the reform in the pay system the key goal of the management side is to lighten the evaluation process of personal achievement.  The aim is to let go of the current heavy process which has been seen as frustrating also from the employees' point of view. The changes are aimed at enabling more flexible consideration of the employees' ability to cope with their work.

Negotiations between the parties to the labour dispute will continue in spite of the strike warnings and the strike, which is taking place at the University of Helsinki on 28 February.

Riitta Silvennoinen
Chief Human Resources Officer