Working Conditions in Remote Work and the Right to Disconnect Must Be Secured in the EU

FinUnions, representing members of SAK and STTK, alongside European labor unions, defend the right to decent working conditions and legal protection in remote work, as well as the clear separation of work and leisure time.   

FinUnions emphasizes that the provisions of labor legislation should be applied to remote work in the same way as to work performed on the employer’s premises. Remote work is not a new form of work that falls outside the scope of current labor legislation. When creating regulations, the focus should be on the specific characteristics of remote work where the regulations are unclear, open to interpretation, or insufficient. It is essential to clarify regulations so that, for example, the risks associated with remote work can be better identified regarding occupational safety, and the employer’s obligations for risk assessment and prevention in remote work are made clearer.

The employer must provide the necessary tools and connections for remote work, as well as the necessary guidance and training for their use. In the EU, the discussion on remote work has included the question of the Right to Disconnect. The right to disengage from work does not currently materialize as it should in today’s working life because advanced communication possibilities have lowered the threshold for employers to contact employees during their free time. The distinction between work and free time must be strengthened in a way that protects employees’ genuine right and opportunity to disengage from work during their free time. While promoting the right to disconnect at the EU level, it is also essential to ensure that this does not create an obligation to disconnect from work.

Two separate legislative projects

The discussion on the Right to Disconnect is related to psychosocial stress at work, but in terms of legislation, it should be viewed as a separate project. The Right to Disconnect alone does not solve problems related to psychosocial risks. Therefore, it is important to continue preparations for addressing psychosocial risks as a separate issue. FinUnions will clarify its position once the European Commission has made its proposal, considering the advocacy and preparatory work of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Additional information:

• Susanna Salovaara, Head of Office, FinUnions, +32 488 479 508, susanna.salovaara@finunions.org

• Pekka Ristelä, Head of International Affairs, SAK, +358 40 5468781, pekka.ristela@sak.fi

• Maria Häggman, Head of International Affairs, STTK, +358 40 148 9091, maria.haggman@sttk.fi

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Susanna Salovaara

Director
+32 488 47 95 08
susanna.salovaara@finunions.org

Marie Sandberg-Chibani

Communications Officer with clerical duties
+32 492 08 01 39
marie.sandberg-chibani@finunions.org

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The European Commission’s minimum wage proposal would promote sectoral collective agreements

The Finnish trade union confederations SAK and STTK welcome the Commission’s proposal for a minimum wage (COM/2020/682 final) and support its objectives. With its proposal, the Commission wants to strengthen the role of the labour market parties and collective bargaining in EU countries. It therefore wants to tackle the Europe-wide problem of wage adequacy and development and to address the associated distortions of competition in the internal market

SAK and STTK consider it important that the draft directive is strongly based on the promotion of collective bargaining. It is good that the key element of the proposal is the promotion of a model similar to the Finnish system, i.e. a system based on sectoral collective agreements in the member states.

The directive must support an increase in the minimum wage, especially in low-wage EU countries, and the best way to do this is through collective bargaining. Statistics show that wage levels are the best, both on average and in terms of low-wage earners, in countries where wages are widely agreed in sectoral collective agreements.

The minimum wage directive proposed by the Commission would not be a threat to the Finnish collective bargaining system. The proposal does not require the introduction of a statutory minimum wage in EU countries, nor does it include measures that have a direct impact on wage levels. Wage determination can continue to be based entirely on collective agreements, and the proposal does not interfere with the competence of the labour market parties to agree on working conditions through agreements. The proposal respects the limits of EU jurisdiction.

The obligation imposed on member states by the directive to report on wages and the coverage of collective agreements would have an immediate effect on Finland. The reporting obligation as part of the monitoring of the implementation of the Directive is justified.

The lower limit of the minimum wage, which would be tied to the average and median wages in each country, is not included in the proposal. Securing a decent level of minimum wages, for example through such a lower limit, in countries with a statutory minimum wage would also be indirectly in Finland’s interest.

Additional information:

• Ms Susanna SALOVAARA, Director at FinUnions, +32 488 47 95 08, susanna.salovaara@finunions.org  
• Mr Pekka RISTELÄ, Head of International Affairs, SAK. +358 40 5468781, pekka.ristela@sak.fi 
• Ms Maria HÄGGMAN, Head of International Affairs, STTK, +358 40 148 9091, maria.haggman@sttk.fi