Negotiations on improving well-being at work
The collective bargaining negotiations this spring ultimately ran into just one problem. The employer’s most important objective was the removal of the contact teaching hours cap from the collective agreement.
english translation marko saajanaho
According to the employer, the agreement should be updated regarding teaching. What this “update” meant in practice remained a mystery to me throughout the spring negotiations. The crux seemed to be the removal of the only clause limiting teaching and research staff working hours from the collective agreement.
The National Conciliator’s proposal for conciliation with its paid try-out option is presumably her best interpretation of the university employer’s ideas. At least the proposal was deemed acceptable by both sides of the negotiation. In the autumn, local negotiations made possible by the proposal for conciliation have gradually begun as required.
Based on what I have heard thus far, we are finding the extremes. One university directly offered the proposal for conciliation’s model at one point. Another proposed doing absolutely nothing. In the end, different negotiation proposals are being brought to local negotiations.
To build the future, we must know the present. For those in the total working hours system, the most crucial document for managing working hours has been the annual work plan. These show the working hours spent on teaching, research, and other tasks in units and at universities. The work plan is one of the leadership and management tools at universities. A carefully crafted 1,612-hour work plan is to the employee’s benefit and protection.
Local negotiation proposals must be heavily based on existing work plans. The National Conciliator’s proposal likely also has an effect of its own. Especially in the sense that the ultimate goal of all this is to improve employee well-being at work.
Local agreements will likely result from the negotiations beginning in the autumn. Likewise, some places are likely to continue as they are. Especially if their work plans are well crafted in the future and used effectively in university management and leadership.
