4/2009

Editorial

The tempo increases!

Kerttu Pellinen
Chairman of the Association of the Finnish University and Research Establishment Staff (YHL)

At the time of writing this, there is only 48 days to the fantastic university reform. Still, quite a lot needs to happen in these remaining days. Signing of the transfer agreements of public service employment relationships is likely to be underway during the last weeks of November. This barrage of contract activity includes meetings, checks, amendments and concrete printing and entering of data. Employment contracts for employees starting at the beginning of next year are prepared for those whose public service employment relationships and employment contracts come to a close at the end of the year. Recruitment of new employees takes also place as required by the universities’ normal operations.

Printing and signing of transfer agreements is at a reasonable stage and it is perfectly possible that the majority of university people in this country will have their employment contracts signed by the turn of the year. Those transferring from public service employment relationship will have new contracts, those already in an employment relationship will continue with their previously concluded contracts.

When drawing up transfer agreements, a common practice is applied but despite plans and promises made in advance, the contents of the new employment contracts were not discussed with the unions, nor was a uniform form of contract drawn up at this stage at least. There has been no significant progress with the collective agreement. Setting the contract negotiations in motion is proving extremely slow and there has been very little time or willingness to concentrate on contract provisions considered important by the unions. The employer’s target is still that contracts could be ready to be signed by the end of the year. It is nearly impossible to bring about a contract with its different revisions in less than 40 weekdays even if the employer and personnel organisation were unanimous. However, there will hardly be consensus about all aspects of the agreement. More time is needed but it is also necessary that the employer has the skills and willingness to negotiate and to pay attention, without trivial flexing of the mussels, evasion tactics and old-fashioned slyness, to clear views of the personnel organisations. It is my wish that a negotiation culture in which the parties could trust each other and each other’s word could be created for the university negotiations.

There is no reliable forecast on the conclusion of the universities’ collective agreement. If dilly-dallying in the negotiations continues and our suggestions do not evoke a response, YHL and its members get ready for legal actions to add momentum to the negotiations together. The associations check and update their organisations for industrial action and ensure that every member is kept informed.

Wishing you strength and courage!