HUS employees express concerns over potential layoffs amid budget cuts in Helsinki

Employees of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) were largely reluctant to comment on potential large-scale layoffs during a press conference reported by Yle. Many HUS staff followed the Thursday briefing via an internal live stream, including a 30-year-old male worker interviewed on Friday at the Meilahti hospital campus. He noted a surprise at the extent of the proposed reductions.

The interviewed employees didn’t provide their full names due to the sensitive situation surrounding the impending layoff discussions. The male worker indicated that conversations within the hospital corridors reflect a common belief that no specific profession or department feels threatened by job cuts, as they perceive no surplus of staff. “No one feels unnecessary. Everyone thinks, ‘This doesn’t involve me,’” he commented.

HUS CEO Matti Bergendahl informed Yle that the decision to initiate these negotiations arises from significant budgetary savings needs, stating that personnel measures can no longer be avoided. The discussions could impact up to 28,000 employees, with the reduction potentially amounting to roughly 990 full-time positions. “No functions or professional groups are excluded from consideration. We aim to primarily avoid cutting those directly involved in patient care,” Bergendahl said.

Another employee, a woman in her twenties who had just completed a night shift, learned about the negotiations through a work-related Facebook group. She expressed uncertainty about which specific staff groups might face reductions but acknowledged that some job losses were inevitable. Among potential areas for cuts, she mentioned “unproductive workgroups” while emphasizing the importance of field workers who are already under significant strain managing multiple patients.