Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency terminates employment of Antti Santamäki at Riihimäki prison

The Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency (Rise) has terminated the employment of Antti Santamäki, the chairman of the Prison Officers’ Union (VVL) and chief union representative, from his position as a prison officer at the Riihimäki prison. Santamäki had been on leave to carry out his union duties but has now been sidelined; however, he will continue to serve as union chairman for the time being.

The Prison Officers’ Union has expressed surprise at the grounds for his dismissal, which the organization claims relate to issues from over six years ago connected to Santamäki’s private life. According to the union, these matters were known to the employer, and Santamäki had previously received only a verbal warning. Seija Mäenpää, the newly appointed deputy chief representative, speculated that the underlying reasons for the dismissal were not related to the claims made by the employer. She pointed out that Santamäki has been outspoken about issues faced within Rise, notably the ongoing shortage of trained staff and associated safety risks.

The union plans to challenge the termination in administrative court, asserting that the reason for the dismissal has already been addressed by Rise. Mäenpää emphasized that the union’s board fully supports Santamäki, deeming the dismissal unjustified.

Teemu Kotkanoja, a lawyer for Rise, stated that the matter is purely related to Santamäki’s employment relationship. He described the information leading to the dismissal as confidential and serious, dismissing claims that the issue had been previously resolved with only an informal warning. Santamäki, citing a desire for privacy, refrained from commenting on the specifics of the situation but emphasized that he believed the matter had been settled in 2019.