JHL and Finnish Seafarers’ Union strengthen their negotiation power by founding the negotiation organisation “Satamien ja vesiväylien Unioni”

The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL and Finnish Seafarers’ Union have founded a negotiation organisation for harbours and waterways, “Satamien ja vesiväylien Unioni”. Its duty is to negotiate the collective agreements of ferries and the harbour sector. The current disruption in the labour market requires that the trade unions cooperate even more intensely than before.

Trade Union JHL and FSU have founded a negotiation organisation for the harbour sector and waterways. The organisation is named “Satamien ja vesiväylien Unioni”. The new Union will strengthen the negotiation power of the trade unions. In the future, the Union will negotiate the collective agreements of the harbour sector and ferries. Right now, approximately 500 people work in the agreement sectors. Together, the trade unions that belong to the Union have a strong degree of unionisation.

– ”Satamien ja vesiväylien Unioni” is our response to the current heavy labour market turbulence in the sectors. Cooperation and coordination will strengthen our negotiation power, President of JHL and the Union Päivi Niemi-Laine justifies founding the negotiation organisation.

– During 2023, the Union’s goal is to negotiate new generally binding collective agreements for ferries and the harbour sector and transfer them under the negotiation organisation by the time the old contracts cease to be valid, Kenneth Bondas and Sannaleena Kallio explain. Bondas is President of FSU and Kallio is the Union Secretary. Kallio is now the Vice President of the recently founded Union.

The length of the harbour sector’s collective agreement is 1+1 years, the agreement is valid until 31 March 2024. However, the agreement can be terminated if no agreement is reached on the 2023 pay raises. The plan is that the new Union will already negotiate on the 2023 raises. The collective agreement of ferries will cease to be valid on 31 March 2023, which is when the Union will start to negotiate with Service Sector Employers Palta (represents employers).

More information:

President of JHL and the negotiation organisation Päivi Niemi-Laine, 040 702 4772

FSU’s Union Secretary, Vice President of the negotiation organisation Sannaleena Kallio, 040 158 5057