Open letter to the Finnish government
Dear Mr. Orpo,
We are writing to you, on behalf of the European construction, wood and forestry and building material trade unions, to urge you to halt and reverse the severe measures against workers’ rights that your government has implemented or plans to adopt.
Destroying workers’ rights does not contribute to sustainable economic growth. Flexible dismissals, restrictions on the right to strike, cuts in social security and reduced social protection are not the recipes for the economic and political challenges of today. They will lead to more poverty and uncertainty, instability and social unrest. The EFBWW and its affiliates will never accept such policies. This is not the kind of labour market that we want in the European Union. This goes against the Nordic and European social models.
The EFBWW, representing more than 1.5 million workers in Europe, strives for decent and direct jobs, fair wages, good working conditions and good social protection. We believe in strong collective agreements, in a labour market based on social rights and genuine social dialogue, in which workers and their trade unions have a say.
The Finnish workers deserve a government which defends them, not one that punishes and weakens and destroys them. A Government should not fight its own people. That is why, the EFBWW decided in its Presidium meeting on 15 February to make an urgent call: It is time to stop and make a U-turn. The EFBWW stands firmly by its Finnish affiliates – Rakennusliitto, Teollisuusliitto, and Proliitto – and will support them in all actions they decide to undertake to fight these unacceptable measures. An attack on one, is an attack on all.
The Finnish workers are not alone. They have the European trade union movement by their side. Together we are stronger!