Finnish labour unions concerned over possible right-wing government

Finland’s labour unions now fear that the likely future four-party right-wing government may upset their traditionally strong role in collective bargaining and weaken worker benefits, following a recent media leak relaying rumours from government formation talks.

Already in their sixth week, the coalition talks between the National Coalition Party (NCP), the Finns Party, the Christian Democrats and the Swedish People’s Party are now worrying labour unions.

According to the leaked information, the parties are discussing abolishing the right to deduce labour union membership fees from their taxes and whether unions can keep being exempt from paying capital income tax – the latter being an even more sensitive issue.

According to the leak, parties are also looking to encourage local wage agreements on a company level instead of wide, collective ones – a move that would erode the status of labour unions even further.

The parties also want to pay more attention to employers’ organisations as employers have gradually grown wearier of strikes and protests they view as political and breaking the agreements.

Also worrying for the labour unions is the future right-wing government’s likely approach to unemployment benefits, as it is presumed that it will reduce the maximum period during which unemployment benefits are paid from the current 500 days or reduce payments over time.

Last time Finland had a right-wing government from 2015 until 2019, relations with labour unions were strained to say the least, suggesting there would be a repeat once the new likely right-wing government is formed – even though the populist Finns Party brands itself as the working man’s movement.

(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)