Finnish university of applied sciences teachers begin three-day strike

Teaching staff at six universities of applied sciences in Finland began a three-day strike on Tuesday, leaving students to orient new arrivals at some campuses, Yle reports.

The strike affects Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, LAB University of Applied Sciences and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Because the institutions have several campuses, the number of strike locations is higher than six.

The strike will continue until Thursday. The Trade Union of Education in Finland has also issued a strike warning for the same universities next week and for six additional universities of applied sciences on September 15.

The dispute concerns the collective agreement for universities of applied sciences between the Trade Union of Education in Finland, the Federation of Salaried Employees’ Unions YTN and Education Employers.

The previous agreement expired at the end of March. Negotiations on a new agreement began in January, and two settlement proposals have been rejected.

Education Employers’ labour market director Hanne Salonen said the employers wanted to reform the pay system and make it fairer.

“All teachers’ pay should be determined using the same criteria, but everyone should not have the same salary,” Salonen said.

According to Salonen, teachers in technology and transport currently receive an automatic supplement that does not take regional or sector-specific circumstances into account. Education Employers wants to replace the automatic supplement with a fairer system.

Trade Union of Education Finland chief negotiator Pasi Repo said the pay levels of both current and future teachers must be protected. According to the union, the issue concerns the salaries of all university of applied sciences teachers, not only those in technology and transport.

Salonen said Education Employers would have accepted a settlement proposal under which no one’s salary would have fallen and everyone would also have received an increase.

Students welcome new arrivals at Savonia

Strike pickets appeared at the campuses of all six institutions. At Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio, chief shop steward Timo Sirviö said the strike front appeared more unified than it had in the spring.

Sirviö estimated that two-thirds of Savonia’s teachers were on strike. He said those who went to work would be treated calmly, but added that it was important for the staff to stand together.

Many students at the campus on Tuesday morning did not want to comment on the dispute. Viljami Luukkanen and Miska Heinonen had arrived in their student overalls to welcome new students beginning their studies.

“It would be nice if the teachers were here too, so we would not have to manage everything ourselves,” they said.

Ville Hyytiäinen and Tua Väisänen said the orientation of new students would go ahead despite the strike.

“Everything has been arranged so that we can make it work,” Hyytiäinen said.

Väisänen said she supported the teachers’ strike.

“I would do exactly the same myself,” she said.

Oulu expects classes to be cancelled

Oulu University of Applied Sciences has more than 10,000 students, many of whom will be affected by the strike. Chief shop steward Kari Heiskanen said substitutes for striking teachers were unlikely to be found.

“If, for example, half of us teachers stay away, then the lessons will have to be cancelled,” Heiskanen said.

He did not know how many teachers would stay away. He said teachers did not have to report to him whether they were on strike, and that the union was assuming its members were striking.

After the strike, the institution will consider how to make up any missed lessons, Heiskanen said.

Despite the strike, he said there was no confrontation between employees and the employer in Oulu. Discussions with the institution’s management had taken place in a very good spirit, he said.

Alternative activities arranged at Xamk

At South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, known as Xamk, the strike covers all campuses in Kotka, Kouvola, Mikkeli and Savonlinna.

Katri Ryttyläinen-Korhonen, Xamk’s vice rector for education, did not know how many teachers would stay away from work.

The institution has arranged alternative activities in place of cancelled lessons, including exercise and information about services supporting student wellbeing.