JHL’s Union Council approves historical SOTE agreement

In its extraordinary meeting, JHL’s Union Council reluctantly approved the new health and social services sector collective agreement, known by its Finnish acronym as the SOTE agreement. Disappointed Union Council members spoke in the meeting about working hours and pay. JHL’s Union Council required that the SOTE agreement will only be approved by JHL if all other parties approve it as well.

In its extraordinary meeting on 3 June, JHL’s Union Council approved a new agreement for the municipal sector, the SOTE agreement. The agreement, which will enter into force on 1 September, concerns the health and social services personnel employed by municipalities and joint municipal authorities.

− For now, the health and social services sector will be technically separated from the general collective agreement for the municipal sector (KVTES). In our further negotiations, we will further develop the terms and conditions of employment for the whole health and social services sector. We will also construct an agreement package which takes the special characteristics of the entire sector into account. Already during last spring’s round of negotiation JHL emphasised heavily how important it is that the new agreement will cover the entire health and social services sector, not just single occupations, JHL President Päivi Niemi-Laine states.

Initially, the transfer is technical. Health and social services professionals of the municipal sector will no longer be covered by KVTES. They will be covered by the SOTE agreement. The agreement change will not affect pay, working hours, annual leaves or other key terms and conditions of employment. The agreement is valid until 28 February 2022.

− Possible local agreements that are currently valid will remain that way in accordance with what has been agreed upon in the local agreement. The current shop stewards and occupational safety and health representatives will continue in their positions despite the new agreement, JHL’s bargaining director Kristian Karrasch emphasises.

Concluding the SOTE agreement was agreed upon in the agreement solution for the municipal sector in May 2020. The agreement will become part of the municipal sector’s group of collective agreements. The agreement parties are the following contracting organisations: JAU (JHL and Jyty), Sote ry (Tehy and Super), Juko, and KT Local Government Employers.

More information:
JHL President Päivi Niemi-Laine, 040 702 4772
Bargaining director Kristian Karrasch, 040 728 9046