FIPSU: A joint forum brings clarity to labour immigration

A permanent joint forum should be set up to discuss labour immigration, proposes Finnish Public Services Unions’ International Network FIPSU.

Shortage of labour requires different solutions. Trade unions want to do their share in promoting ethical recruitment. They have the best knowledge of its opportunities and challenges at workplace level.

FIPSU supports the Government’s goals of promoting labour immigration but finds some of the measures in the Government Programme contradictory. One example of this is the difficulty of family reunification, which is a clear obstacle for labour immigration in the social welfare and health care sector.

FIPSU proposes setting up a permanent joint forum to discuss labour immigration. The participants would include the employee and employer parties, representatives from the ministries that deal with labour immigration, educational institutions, recruitment companies and experts and researchers who are specialised in this theme.

Goals for the labour immigration forum

FIPSU presents six goals for the labour immigration forum:

1. Common, ethical and responsible rules need to be created for labour immigration. Foreign employees who are already in Finland and the wellbeing of current employees also need to be considered in this.

2. The Government Programme includes introducing a target country model for labour immigration. This target country model needs to be clear and also benefit the system of the departure country. Trade unions want to be involved in the creation of this model. Experience of such approach has been positive for example in Germany and the United Kingdom.

3. The recruitment process needs to be clear, common and ethically sustainable. Recruitment should have permanent financing models instead of projects. Recruitment companies must be registered, and their operations must be monitored.

4. A model should be created so that everyone who enters the Finnish labour market is systematically offered information about how the society and the labour market work, as well as about employee rights and obligations in order to prevent issues such as labour exploitation.

5. Generic and vocational language education should be provided in order to secure integration and finding work.

6. Training that supports unity and diversity of work communities should be provided in order to for example prevent racism in workplaces.

Principles for recruiting workforce from abroad

FIPSU also published in a seminar on 26 April updated ethical principles for recruiting workforce from abroad.

These principles include for example the following:

• The recruitment of foreign labour must be carried out ethically, and Finland must not transfer its own labour shortage problems to other countries.
• The recruitment of foreign labour must not create parallel labour markets. All employees must have the same rights and obligations, such as the right to organise and the right to same pay and same terms and conditions of employment.

The Finnish Public Services Unions’ International Network FIPSU supports the international advocacy and EU collaboration of six public sector trade unions. FIPSU’s affiliate trade unions are Trade Union Jyty, Trade Union Pro, Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL, The Trade Union of Education in Finland OAJ, The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland Tehy and The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses SuPer.

More information:

Päivi Niemi-Laine, FIPSU network, 040 702 4772
Pipsa Allén, FIPSU network, 044 0467 747