Finland
The JHL public sector union and SAK confederation are calling for more action on the spread of the grey economy and in particular on for better regulation of contractors and sub-contractors. A Ministry of Labour taskforce is looking at possible amendments to the Act on the Contractor's Obligations and Liability when Work is Contracted Out.
Read more at > JHL (EN)
Following pressure from trade unions the government is committed to introducing legislation that will require employers to check certain details of any new sub-contractors or employment agencies they use. This is to confirm that they are registered in Finland for tax purposes and that they comply with other areas of legislation such as employment law. The principal company will be able to demand information about collective agreements and the pay and conditions of the employees of the sub-contractor. Read more at > SAK
The FNV Abvakabo trade union has expressed concern in the past about high salaries in the public sector but is not convinced by proposals from the Interior Minister to introduce regulations to limit pay. The new proposals would impose a maximum annual salary of €187340 in the public sector and there would also be limits on pay in institutions relying on public funding such as care homes and hospitals. However, FNV Abvakabo would prefer to see all this controlled by collective bargaining with a maximum overall pay and benefits package no more than 10 times the level of the lowest paid in the
European trade union federations, EPSU and industriAll - joined with national unions in the GDF-Suez energy multinational to raise serious concerns about the impact of sub-contracting by many of the group's subsidiary companies, particularly on health and safety. The unions argue that the resurgence of fatal accidents in subcontracting operations requires urgent action and that employee representatives, together with employees and their unions demand that subcontracted employees have working conditions, rights and social guarantees equivalent to those of the subsidiaries’ employees. [Read more
