University collective agreement negotiations: family leave under discussion again

The negotiations on the collective agreement for approximately 34,000 university employees continued on 23 March.

JUKO wants to achieve gender-neutral language in agreement texts and an equal amount of paid family leave for each parent. This goal corresponds to the legal reform entering into force on 1 August.

– The universities now have a really good opportunity to appear as family-friendly workplaces, Katja Aho, head of collective bargaining for the university sector at JUKO, stresses.

The negotiations will continue on 25 March.

Previously in the negotiations

On the 21st, the employees’ and employer’s representatives discussed key goals for the text of the agreement held by both parties.

– Our views still diverge from each other substantially. We are arranging our collective agreement negotiations by theme this week. On Wednesday we’re continuing to deliberate on the family leave reform,” says Katja Aho, the head of collective bargaining for the university sector at JUKO.

On the 18th, the parties to the agreement discussed development of the remuneration system and reducing the share of employees on fixed-term contracts.

JUKO wants to develop pay and the remuneration system through a longer-term salary programme, remove bottlenecks and promote equality.

– We want to strengthen universities’ competitiveness as workplaces and pioneers of good working life in the new, post-pandemic world of employment, says Katja Aho, head of collective bargaining for the university sector at JUKO.

– Seventy per cent of teaching and research staff continue to work on fixed-term contracts. The methods to fix this situation must be found at the negotiating table.