EPSU SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO FINNISH STATE SECTOR AFFILIATE
Brussels 21 October 2009
On behalf of EPSU, we wish to express our solidarity to our Finnish affiliate Pardia representing employees in government agencies, universities and research institutions, as well as some commercial enterprises and companies.
Today, 21 October at 4. 00 p.m. Pardia is interrupting its general assembly meeting to protest on the steps of Finnish Parliament.
Our colleagues will protest against their government’s proposed public budget cuts which may lead to temporary lay-offs and job losses.
According to the preliminary results of a members’ survey carried out by Pardia, nearly 1 out 3 members thinks their job is under threat, compared to 15% in 2002.
Amid constant changes in work organisation, pressure and ever hardening targets for results and productivity, state sector employees find it increasingly hard to cope with their work.
Uncertainty has increased and the fear of job losses has grown over the past decade.
According to Pardia’s President and titular member of EPSU’s Committee for national and EU administrations, Antti Palola, the malaise is the direct consequence of the government’s productivity programme, privatisations and other actions resulting in staff reductions.
According to Pardia’s members, the biggest difficulty they are facing is the uncertainty of the future.
We support your call for increasing the public budget so that the state sector, universities and other institutions can properly function in Finland.
As we recently made clear in a statement issued on 16 October last, job and wage cuts in public services, including state sector, are certainly not the answer to the economic crisis.
We wish you a successful protest,
In solidarity
Carola Fischbach-Pyttel
EPSU General Secretary
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