Chemical industry employees' pay rises exceed the upper limit set by the employers

(Helsinki 26.11.2009 - Juhani Artto) On Tuesday, negotiators from the chemical industry trade unions and employer federations agreed on new collective agreements. Next year, when the agreements take effect, wages and salaries will be raised by slightly more than the 0.5 per cent limit the powerful employer confederation EK has tried to force into agreements in all industries where collective bargaining is under way.

On Wednesday, the board of the Chemical Workers' Union approved the outcome of the negotiations. Timo Vallittu, the President of the union, and Hannu Siltala, its National Secretary, are satisfied with the union's ability to break down the tight control exercised by the employer confederation EK.

Chemical workers' pay is set to go up in May by 0.6 per cent at national level and by 0.3 per cent at local level.

Salaries for the salaried employees will receive an increase in June of 0.5 per cent at national level and 0.4 per cent at local level. The board of the Union of Salaried Employees TU approved the results of the negotiations on Thursday.

These agreements expire on 31 January 2013. Negotiations on the second and third year pay rises will take place later in the coming years. The chemical industry agreements cover 20,000 chemical industry workers and 10,000 salaried employees.

The main negotiators representing all the organisations concerned are encouraged by the fact that the atmosphere during the negotiations was both positive and constructive. "Close and continuous dialogue has thus been fruitful and this kind of procedure will be followed again in the future", said the labour market organisations in their joint press release.

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This article was first published on Trade Union News from Finland.