Nordic ministers to discuss the working life perspective on the coronavirus crisis, and the EU’s minimum wage initiative

Measures to revitalise working life after the coronavirus crisis will be discussed at the informal meeting of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Labour on 12 June 2020. The Ministers will also discuss the EU’s minimum wage initiative. Finland’s representatives at the video conference are Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Aino-Kaisa Pekonen.

Minister Haatainen will provide an account of the employment measures taken in Finland before and during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Investments in economically and socially sustainable development, digitalisation, and research and innovation are effective drivers of economic recovery. We must use targeted measures to promote employment and skills while ensuring that they treat citizens fairly and equally,” Minister Haatainen emphasises.

According to the Minister Pekonen, nearly 60% of Finns switched to remote work because of the coronavirus.

"In order to ensure that work communities are able to cope with the crisis, it is good to pay attention to their ability to reform, mental health skills and support for working capacity, especially after the crisis," Minister Pekonen says.

The Government will form its position on the EU’s minimum wage initiative after the Commission has made its proposal

The Ministers will also discuss the European minimum wage initiative, on which the European Commission will prepare its proposal later. The Finnish Government provisionally supports the objective of combating in-work poverty, but will formulate a more detailed position on the matter after the Commission has made its proposal. Any projects must not represent a risk to the wage formation processes in place in the Nordic countries and other countries whose systems are based on comprehensive collective agreements.

No decisions will be made at the informal meeting. The meeting is hosted by Denmark.

Inquiries:
Jenni Karjalainen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 40 751 5496
Lippe Koivuneva, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 049 236