National mediator proposes settlement in Finland’s university of applied sciences labour dispute

The national mediator of Finland has submitted a settlement proposal in the ongoing labour dispute involving universities of applied sciences, following nearly two months of negotiations, state broadcaster Yle reports.

Mediator Anu Sajavaara presented the proposal on Monday, according to an announcement from the National Conciliation Office on X. The dispute involves employee unions—the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ) and the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland (YTN)—on one side, and the employer organisation Sivista, representing the education sector, on the other.

Both parties will respond to the proposal at the mediator’s office on May 13 at 13:00 local time. The contents of the settlement offer will only be made public after the responses have been submitted.

The dispute follows a historic strike by teachers earlier this year, triggered by rising student numbers and shrinking resources in the sector.