“Today, on national Entrepreneur’s Day, the government approved a bill on local bargaining. It is something the SFP has long been working for. This is an important step towards increased flexibility in the workplace and higher productivity in businesses,” explains SFP Party President and Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz.
“We have been exploring the possibilities of local bargaining over several electoral terms, and now we have finally got a proposal in Parliament. It will now be possible for non-unionised workplaces to enter collective agreements, among other things.”
The local bargaining bill will now be processed by Parliament. It would lead to several amendments being carried out within employment legislation, to allow for local bargaining in diverse kinds of companies. Adlercreutz points out that it will be easier for employees to influence decisions collectively, regardless of whether they belong to unions or not. It will even be possible for local agreements to be made with a shop steward or elected representative.
“Finland is export-dependent and businesses are the engine that drives our economy. We need economic growth and this bill is a good example of how we can use structural reforms to improve our businesses’ operating conditions,” Adlercreutz says.
The proposed effective date for the new local bargaining legislation is 1 January 2025.
