Union Rights, Netherlands, Finland

(May 2017) The long-running conflict at the European Patent Office (EPO) over abuses of worker and trade union rights is now heading to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). SUEPO, the trade union at the EPO has filed a complaint against the Netherlands for failing to protect workers. The courts there ruled that Dutch law has no jurisdiction leaving the workers in a legal limbo. The workers have been supported by the FNV trade union and the matter has been taken up in the Dutch parliament.

The FNV trade union has negotiated a new collective agreement with Fokus, a provider of care for people with disabilities, with 2400 employees. The one-year deal includes a 2.8% pay increase from 1 January and special provisions for older workers to reduce their hours. Those within four years of pensions age can reduce their hours by 20% with a pay reduction of only 10% and the employer will ensure their pension contributions remain at the previous level. The hours made available will be reallocated, including to new employees. The agreement also means that workers aged 58 and over no longer

Unions across the public and private sectors have been taking various forms of industrial action including strikes on 3 October and overtime bans in protest at government plans to make it easier to dismiss workers in businesses employing 10 or fewer people. The three union confederations have rejected the proposals which they say are unfair and will do nothing to boost employment. They are also angry at the government's action, failing to undertake any consultation or negotiation with the trade union movement.

Public and private sector trade unions have suspended their industrial action in protest at planned changes to dismissal legislation following a commitment from the government to negotiate. The proposed changes would have made it easier to sack workers in small firms. Unions were objecting to the discriminatory provisions and to the failure to negotiate. The unions have only suspended the action and may restart it if the government doesn't undertake proper tripartite negotiations.

The three national trade union confederations – SAK, STTK and AKAVA – are extremely concerned about the new centre-right coalition government’s wide-ranging programme of attacks on trade union and workers’ rights and are planning events and protests in response. The government, which includes representatives of the far-right Finns Party is planning to impose restrictions on sympathetic and political strike action, a €200 fine for individual strikers when a strike is found to be illegal and a dramatic increase in fines on trade union for illegal action. It is also likely that further

Trade unions and their confederations continue to raise concerns about the government’s proposals that will impact trade union rights, employment conditions and the welfare state. Members of the SAK confederation has been involved in a series of events, protests and work stoppages since September and more are planned for November. The STTK confederation is mobilising for a major demonstration on 18 November while the AKAVA confederation is focused on getting the government around the negotiating table.

The three trade union confederations – SAK, Akava and STTK – have issued a joint statement condemning the proposed reform of the law on collective action. They argue that the changes are designed to upset the balance of the labour market, increase unilateral action by employers and will not improve industrial peace. The confederations say that they will not accept the reforms and that there is no need for a further tightening of rules as existing regulations already impose a range of restrictions. The government wants to limit the rights to political strikes and solidarity action and proposes

Members of the JHL trade union have been taking strike action as part of the continuing campaign against the government’s plans to weaken welfare provision and employment rights and the right to strike. The largest strike day of the autumn season was planned for 14 December when JHL was due to shut down train services and power plants, among other services. There is a strong opposition in the union to the government’s proposals and further action has not been ruled out. The range of government measures include restrictions on the right to take political strike action which would, in future

The SAK and STTK trade union confederations are continuing their campaign against government proposals that attack the welfare state, employment and trade union rights. The next step will be a national demonstration in Helsinki on 1 February. They are also calling for support from civil society organisations. The confederations have been participating in tripartite working groups, discussions set up by the government and in parliamentary hearings, emphasising how badly workers will be affected by the government’s policies. The first reductions affecting the unemployed have already entered into

The JHL trade union and others in the SAK confederation organised a week of strike action between 12 and 16 February in their continuing campaign to oppose the government’s attacks on the welfare state and trade union and workers’ rights. The actions follow the major national protest organised by the SAK and STTK confederations on 1 February. A range of JHL’s membership will be involved in the week of action including workers in early childhood education and care, municipalities, local public transport, energy and rail services.

The JHL public service unions, AKT transport union and other members of the SAK trade unio confederation are involved in two weeks of strike action against the government programme of welfare cuts and attacks on workers’ and trade union rights. The unions are frustrated that the government is not responding to their calls to negotiate. Alongside JHL and AKT, the strikes involve unions in industry, electricity, construction and services. The measures target exports and imports in ports and on rails. Large industrial plants and distribution terminals are also involved. Around 7,000 workers are

The SAK trade union confederation has decided to suspend the industrial action taken by a number of its member organisations in order to engage with the government over its programme of welfare cuts and anti-union measures. The actions began on 11 March and were suspended on 8 April. The unions involved were in both public and private sectors – the industrial union, the AKT transport workers' union, service union PAM, the construction union, the JHL public and welfare sector union and the electricity union. SAK wants the government to make clear that it won’t bring forward measures to restrict