Stores have been able to decide on their opening hours independently as of the start of 2016. Previously, hours of operation were strictly regulated by the Finnish state.
According to service workers union PAM spokesperson and president Ann Selin -- who emphasizes that the statistics on what effect extended opening hours have had on employment are not yet available -- the word on the street is that extended hours have not provided more work for union members.
“The message in the field is that there may be additional working hours on offer in hypermarkets, but that means less hours on offer in smaller shops in the same chain,” says Selin. “At this time there are no signs that hours are increasing for the entire field," she adds.
According to Selin, shifts are now scheduled more exactingly, especially in supermarkets.
“When customer flows are weak, it’s hard to find a clerk or cashier in a supermarket. Additional hours are scarce,” she says.