The upcoming collective bargaining agreement for universities: negotiations and compromises

Teksti katja alaja kuvat istock english translation marko saajanaho

Salary, working hours, leave and days off, employment terms, working conditions and well-being at work, training, and building expertise. All of these important aspects of an employment relationship are determined in the joint collective bargaining agreement for the universities, which covers 34,000 salaried workers. These include the members of the Finnish Union of University Professors, the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers, and the Union for University Teachers and Researchers in Finland (YLL).

“The goal of these collective negotiations is to attain employment terms that keep the university an attractive and enticing place of employment now and in the future”, says Katja Aho, Head of Collective Bargaining at JUKO, the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals.

The Finnish Union of University Professors, The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers, and the Union for University Teachers and Researchers in Finland as a member of the Trade Union of Education (OAJ) are part of JUKO, which negotiates the collective agreement together with other main negotiating parties. These are Trade Union Pro and the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL), representing other workers in the university sector, and Finnish Education Employers (FEE), representing private employers in the education and research sectors.

The University Advisory Board negotiates objectives

In practice, the unions work closely together from the agreement planning process to the negotiation phase. They operate on JUKO’s university advisory board to schedule the planning and determine the objectives. The Advisory Board also keeps an eye on the upcoming negotiations and offers orientation to negotiators along the way.

The University Advisory Board comprises 11 members and 11 substitute members from different unions and organisations. The chairperson is Tarja Niemelä, also the Executive Director of the Finnish Union of University Professors. JUKO Head of Collective Bargaining Katja Aho serves as secretary, coordinating the negotiations towards Trade Union Pro, JHL, and FEE. Other members include FUURT Chief Negotiator Reetta Kuosmanen and OAJ Leading Special Advisor Hanna Tanskanen, representing YLL members including training school staff.

All of the aforementioned are part of the group of negotiators led by Aho, as is Petri Toiviainen from Social Science Professionals (YKA).

Backed by member opinions

In early October, the unions outlined their tentative goals on the university advisory board. All identified areas of development regarding salaries. Tanskanen also brought up topics including well-being at work and working hours. Kuosmanen tells us working hours and, for example, fixed-term employment contracts were on FUURT’s list as well.

“For example, how are a fixed-term employee’s total working hours determined if they get sick”, Kuosmanen states.

These examples of tentative goals were born through surveying member and trustee opinions and considering employment terms in different small groups. At FUURT, the goals and their respective arguments were devised by a small group consisting of veterans, newer active members, and board members.

More for some or some for all?

Next, JUKO’s Aho created a list of the tentative goals, spanning a few pages. Afterwards, the unions had about a month to prioritise and discuss the goals.

The goals will be discussed in more detail at the University Advisory Board seminar, held in late November.

“My goal is to coordinate the goals of the unions, which often head in different directions and partially differ from each other. I challenge the unions on whether they wish to highlight one group’s goals in this round and some other group’s goals in the next, or whether they are looking for benefits for everyone equally. The process happens in a constructive way, through discussion”, Aho says.

Aho adds that the goals are not fully set in stone until the negotiations for a variety of reasons. The JUKO board may hand all JUKO members shared goals to coordinate. If the so-called export model gets all the way to legislation, it may nail down the salary increase level in different fields. Then, of course, there is FEE with their own set of goals. They will be at the negotiation table for a few days in December.

JUKO works closely together with FEE throughout the year to build mutual understanding. Small groups working on fixed-term employment and salaries are a good example of this cooperation. The latter has carried out a remuneration system survey for university personnel management and trustees.

“My thanks to FEE for keeping the principle of continuous negotiation going in practice”, says University Advisory Board chair Tarja Niemelä.

Constructive negotiation in January

January 2025 is the start of a negotiation process spanning a few months, with a group of negotiators led by JUKO participating with Trade Union Pro, JHL, and FEE. As an example, Aho explains there may be three items on the list highlighted by both parties, two earner-related matters, and one from the employer side.

“The employers may ask if you might be willing to compromise on this other issue if you want a certain salary increase”, Aho states.

 Aho reminds us the negotiations always start from nothing. This means everything in the current collective agreement must be renegotiated.

As such, University Advisory Board members take a realistic view on the negotiations – usually, a few things are approved.

“Six years ago, the remuneration system was developed. Two years ago, family leave became reality. Last year, only salary increases were negotiated”, OAJ Leading Special Advisor Hanna Tanskanen recollects.

Tanskanen emphasises the importance of a constructive approach and understanding each party’s opinions. Kuosmanen, on the other hand, considers negotiations intensifying towards the end the best time of her life, during which negotiation and fine-tuning tactics between unions take turns.

“Everyone must feel they got something important to them in the collective agreement, even if perhaps no one is perfectly happy”, Kuosmanen concludes.

If, for any reason, the general collective agreement for universities is not finalised by the deadline, the current agreement will remain in place until the new agreement is signed.