Current state of local collective bargaining based on collective agreements and measures promoting local collective bargaining, rapporteurs

Goals and results

The rapporteurs’ task is to open up the state of local collective bargaining based on collective agreements in both organised and unorganised companies and to consider measures to promote local collective bargaining in the future.

The report should focus on, among other things, identifying the practical reasons that prevent or restrict local collective bargaining. One aim of the report is to develop tools at workplace level to remove barriers to local bargaining or lower the threshold for it.

The report will examine the key measures needed to:
• improve the conditions for local collective bargaining
• strengthen the trust and negotiating competence required for local collective bargaining both within generally binding and normally binding collective agreements
• improve the negotiating parties’ capacity to agree at workplace level by making use of existing agreement options
• establish equal negotiating relationships at local level
• support development and innovation activities at workplace.

The report should draw attention on how improving the working capacity and skills of staff will impact the negotiating conditions for local collective bargaining.

In addition, the report should explore the role of local union representatives, trade unions and employers’ federations in local collective bargaining based on collective agreements, as well as the possibility of providing support for activities at workplace level. The report is also to take into account the special features of local collective bargaining in companies that have not elected a local union representative.

In order to evaluate the best practical experiences, the rapporteurs should consult the national and local social partners and representatives of companies of different sizes during the preparation the report.

Summary

The rapporteurs Jukka Ahtela and Joel Salminen should submit the report by 8th January 2021 to the sub-group on local collective bargaining working under the Ministerial Working Group on Promotion of Employment.The report will be made public on 1st March 2021 with other relevant materials.

Starting points

According to the Government Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin, “the Government will seek to increase local collective bargaining based on mutual trust between the parties. Local collective bargaining will be enhanced by ensuring that staff are adequately informed and have opportunities to influence their work, which is a key element in creating the atmosphere of trust required for bargaining.” The Government Programme also states that “local collective bargaining will be promoted through the system of collective agreements with a view to achieving a balanced combination of flexibility and security, and improving employment and competitiveness.”

In the autumn 2020 budget session, the Government decided that a report would be commissioned on measures to strengthen the trust and negotiating competence required for local collective bargaining in both generally binding collective agreements and normally binding collective agreements. The report aims to find ways to increase the capacity to agree at workplace level by making use of existing agreement options. The working group on local collective bargaining will make use of the report when preparing proposals to improve the conditions for local collective bargaining and to establish equal negotiating relationships. The proposals will be submitted to the Ministerial Working Group on Promotion of Employment by 1 March 2021.

Additional information

• MEAE, press release 14.10.2020
• Report on the current state of local collective bargaining and the measures for promoting it
• MEAE, press release 1.3.2021