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EFBWW News

EFBWW condemns withdrawal by the Finnish UPM from CBAs

09/02/2021

The EFBWW strongly condemns the decision of the Finnish forest industry company UPM to stop collective negotiations for its salaried employees on a local, municipal, workplace or product group-specific levels.  From 2022 onwards these negotiations will be conducted solely via individual appraisals.

This follows the announcement in October 2020 by the employers' organization Finnish Forest Industries to change its statutes so that it withdraws from national collective bargaining and bargaining on working conditions is transferred to the company level.

For the Finninsh Trade Union Pro’s President, Jorma Malinen, “this is a serious attempt to destroy the Finnish collective bargaining culture as well as an open attack against the welfare state. The significant pay cuts of salaried employees will decrease tax revenues for both the Finnish state and for municipalities where forest industry provides a significant source of livelihood”.

The union warns that UPM’s decision to abandon collective bargaining and to apply only the level of the minimum labour legislation will worsen the terms of employment for company's salaried employees.

The EFBWW stands firmly by its affiliate and is deeply concerned with this unacceptable threat to social progress and to workers’ rights.

Read full statement here.