Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland, opposes the government's proposal to alter the labour market model and considers it unnecessary. This is made clear in a statement issued by Akava (in Finnish).
Akava anticipates that the proposal will cause instability and uncertainty in the labour market. According to Akava, the proposal is worrying in terms of promoting equality and contains significant risks for the realisation of equal pay.
In addition, Akava believes that the proposal would affect the balance of power in the labour market in favour of employers.
According to Akava, the proposal’s description of the current state of the labour market does not include issues that the later proposed amendments would address.
Akava also points out that the construction of a possible new labour market model is the responsibility of the unions and negotiation organisations that conclude collective agreements, and no other body can agree on or dictate such a model on their behalf.
The Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland TEK belongs to Akava and is its second largest member union.
Akava has two negotiation organisations that negotiate collective agreements for their members. In the private sector there is the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN and in the public sector, the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO.