Joint consultation

 Joint consultation, or co-operation between employers and employees, is prescribed either in the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings, in sectoral agreements between the central confederations or in sectoral agreements, depending on the industry.

The purpose of joint consultation is 

  • to further co-operation between the employer and the personnel and among members of personnel
  • to provide personnel with the opportunity to influence matters relating to their work and workplace and
  • to develop the operations of companies and corporations and their working conditions.

Joint consultation increases the personnel’s readiness to accept changes and contributes to successful development work and the maintenance of a good atmosphere at work. Joint consultation is a part of management.

Parties to joint consultation

The parties to joint consultation are the employer and the personnel. Joint consultation can be either direct or representative.

Direct joint consultation

refers to situations where issues concerning work and the activities of the work community are discussed by supervisors and personnel. Joint meetings are arranged at the workplace for this purpose. Direct joint consultation is also part of daily routines, management and good supervisory work.

Representative joint consultation

is carried out by a separately appointed co-operation body, to which the personnel elect their own representatives. Personnel representatives are usually shop stewards and occupational safety delegates.

Matters handled by means of joint consultation

The purpose of joint consultation is to allow personnel to participate in decision-making before the matter is settled, that is, already at the preparatory stage. At this stage it is still possible to discuss the grounds for and effects of the matter in question, and any alternatives there may be.

According to the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings and the joint consultation agreements, the employer must inform the personnel of issues such as the company’s development perspectives and economic situation, and provide sufficient information to enable the matter to be dealt with. The Act and both the agreements concluded by the central confederations and sectoral agreements also contain more detailed information on what additional matters are to be settled by means of the joint consultation procedure.

A continuous negotiation procedure is the best way to ensure that the goals of joint consultation are reached. Providing information is an important and crucial part of joint consultation both before and after the actual joint consultation procedure. Good joint consultation action is based on providing information on a continuous basis.