The two sides in a long-running pay dispute in the private social service sector have approved a compromise hammered out following months of negotiations. Organisations representing workers and employers both gave their final blessing to the deal on Tuesday.
The new collective agreement will raise wages by an average of 13.07 percent over the next two and a half years. The contract is valid until the end of 2025.
Employers were represented in the contract negotiations by the Hyvinvointiala (Hali) group, while the workers were represented by an array of trade unions including SuPer, Tehy, Erto, JHL, Talentia, Jyty, Pro and STHL.
"We are satisfied with the achieved salary increase level," Jyty chair Jonna Voima said in a press release.
Union points to labour shortage
"Those who work under the private social service sector collective agreement will now receive fair wage increases, which I hope will ease the labour shortage at private care homes for the elderly, children's daycare centres and child protection offices, for example," she added.
During the drawn-out contract negotiations, the trade unions imposed a series of industrial actions including strikes, bans on overtime, shift changes and gig work.