Collective agreement negotiations of church employees have started

The collective agreement negotiations of the church sector have started with a meeting of the negotiating parties on 15 January 2025. The current agreement period will end at the end of February.

Negotiations on the new collective agreement for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (KirVESTES) have started on Wednesday 15 January 2025. The parties have discussed for example the current financial situation of the church and general labour market conditions.

– Right now, the general labour market outlook is very hazy because a number of collective agreements will end during the spring and there is no centralised solution model on the labour market. The discussions have touched on the purchasing power of low-paid employees, the rising prices and the increasing overall cost of living, says Bargaining Specialist Keijo Hiltunen, who is responsible for the church sector agreement negotiations at JHL.

A notice of termination on the current church sector collective agreement was served on 15 January 2025, and the agreement term will end on 28 February 2025.

Meetings for the new church sector collective agreement negotiations have been scheduled until the end of February, and the second meeting takes place next Wednesday.

Additional information

Keijo Hiltunen, Bargaining Specialist at JHL, 050 438 8105

Your trade union JHL negotiates on a number of collective agreements in 2025. Follow the negotiations on our website.