Pekka Ahmavaara: Training is in a main stream of the world of work

Tripartite cooperation, a well-functioning labour market and the maintenance of the welfare society are the basic pillars of the Finnish labour market system. These three conditions, with the supplement of training, will continue to feature strongly during the next five years, says Mr Pekka Ahmavaara, the Vice Chairman of the SAK Executive Committee.

In the opinion of Mr Ahmavaara the decisions on the above three conditions are the most important of those which were taken at the SAK Congress which was held earlier this year. He also regards investment in training as being extremely important.

- In the future, the possession of up to date skills will constitute the main stream in the current of the world of work, says Mr Ahmavaara. - It is hardly necessary to point out that during the next five years training in information technology will be playing a central role in the working world. The possession of practical skills should not be overlooked however, as these will be needed as a counterweight to information technology. The continuous training of the workforce should always be to the fore.

Trade union cooperation to be deepened

- Globalisation is presenting an unavoidable change of direction, but in my opinion it is a good direction, emphasised Pekka Ahmavaara. - We should not attempt to fight globalisation, because that would be the equivalent of the breaking up of the machinery at the very beginning of industrialisation. Globalisation in itself is unavoidable, but we can bring our influence to bear on the direction in which it is heading. The nation states should cooperate, whilst cooperation within the entire international trade union movement should be deepened. There is a need for civic movements, for all these types of situation. It would be of no avail to even attempt to bring a halt to globalisation.

SAK open for change

Bringing influence to bear on the consequences of globalisation should be a central plank in the activities of the trade union movement. If we do not react to these, everything else will be pointless, according to Mr Ahmavaara.

- Globalisation has had, of course, a significant impact on work and it is bringing about change to the working world. If SAK wishes to remain in the position of the large and influential central organisation which it holds at present, it can no longer depend on the old, traditional occupations and on those industrial workers who are solely involved in the production of goods. SAK should also throw open its doors to professional people and to society as a whole. The Church has recently become a new partner in some activities and the most tangible instance of these has been the joint participation of the Church and SAK in the scheme for the provision of assistance for the unemployed. Some new civic organisations, one example being Attac, share the aims and some of the values of the trade union movement.

Europe is our home base

The SAK Congress was clearly in favour of giving more support and increased resources to the ETUC. The home base of the Finnish trade union movement lies within Europe, and it is for this reason that we should invest in the advancement of the capabilities of the European trade union movement. The arrival of national trade union offices in Brussels is one detail which is linked to the field of the ETUC operations. Some may regard these offices as a waste of resources as far as the ETUC activities are concerned. However, in the view of Pekka Ahmavaara, these offices, which he has experienced at first hand as he has worked in Brussels himself, have arrived to stay.

- I think that there is an urgent need to start discussions on the ways in which more synergy could be established in the work of the ETUC and the various national trade union offices and in the cooperation between these. The national offices are in a significant position, inasmuch as they provide excellent links between the ETUC and its affiliated unions.

Concern over bargaining

Pekka Ahmavaara does not envisage the arrival of European collective agreements within the next five years.

- In my opinion we should concentrate on saving our Finnish bargaining system from disintegration. Whilst there are many of those who are supportive of the national incomes policy system, there are also those who oppose it. Problems may arise as a result of the Finnish Government policy, or it may be that the larger and more powerful unions may bring about the breaking up of the whole model. It may also happen that the employers will begin to play the same tune of disintegration as they have done in the past.

According to Mr Ahmavaara, a seed from which an European incomes policy may grow has been planted at an international level ,in the Cologne Macro Economic Process. The coordination of European economic, financial and pay policies were commenced within this Process. However, the time is not yet ripe for a pan-European incomes policy.

Cooperation between SAK, STTK and AKAVA

The feasibility of the closer cooperation of SAK, STTK and AKAVA, the three Finnish central organisations of trade unions, was discussed during the SAK Congress. Mr Ahmavaara senses some counter currents towards such cooperation. SAK however will, for its own part, be ready to continue the discussion on the subject in the future, and the issue will once again be debated in the autumn, during the forthcoming STTK Congress. At present, these three central organisations mostly cooperate on the international level and, in addition to Key-Finland, the name of their joint office in Brussels, further joint activities are expected to be developed.

hilkka.jukarainen@sak.fi