📋 Tender Overview
The government is proposing to the workplace a new practice of continuous dialogue to develop long-term employer-employee relations. The revised Co-operation Act also aims to improve staff empowerment and access to information.The Co-operation Act is now perceived as a law on dismissal even though it is as its name implies a matter of co-operation ie working together in the workplace. So it is time to make a reform that will improve dialogue and trust between the employer and the staff says Minister of Labor Tuula Haatainen .The Government submitted a proposal for a new co-operation law to Parliament on 30 September 2021. The law is due to enter into force on 1 January 2022.The new Co-operation Act would consist of three entitiesOngoing dialogue between employer and staffNegotiations in situations of change change negotiationsEmployee representative in the companys administration administrative representativeThe law would apply to companies and entities with at least 20 employees. The provisions on the administrative representative would apply to companies with at least 150 employees in Finland. The law would not apply to state or municipal agencies or institutions.Continuous dialogue develops the company and the work communityWith the reform there should be a regular dialogue between the employer and the employees or their representatives. The dialogue could address among other things the financial situation of the company or entityworkplace rules and practicesstaff structure and skills needswell-being at work. The workplaces themselves would agree on how to put the dialogue into practice. The dialogue should as a general rule take place on a quarterly basis. In smaller companies with 20-29 employees the dialogue should take place twice a year. If on the other hand no employee representative has been elected in the company a dialogue once a year would suffice.As part of the dialogue a plan would be drawn up to develop the work community.A staff representative will be given a stronger role in change negotiationsBefore making a decision on matters that have a material effect on the position of employees such as redundancies the employer must consult with the employees representatives or employees. Under the revised law the process would be called change negotiations. Negotiations for change would remain essentially the same as in the current law. However the right of the employee representative to make suggestions and present alternative solutions would be strengthened. In addition the date on which negotiations must be opened would be specified.The administrative representation of the personnel is being specifiedEmployee representation in the companys administration facilitates the flow of information and brings the expertise of the personnel to be utilized in decision-making. In the new law the employee representative in the companys administration is called the administrative representative. The provisions on administrative representation would largely correspond to the current law but would become part of the Administrative Representation Act. Staff should be represented in an institution that actually deals with important business financial and staffing issues.
