[front page]

archive: [2002] [2001] [2000] [1999] [1998] [1997] [by issue]

[sponsors]
[site info]

ISSN 1458-4433

eironline.gif

labourstart.gif

sak2.gif

tuw.gif

http://wwww.kaapeli.fi/unions/globalunions.gif (3141 bytes)

wilogob.jpg (10449 bytes)

ACTRAV

ETUC

XPDNC

+ Other links


© All rights reserved. The trade union press is hearby authorised to use this material.

E-mail your comments, questions and subscription requests to get the latest stories from this service sent free of charge directly to your e-mailbox.

The news service is sponsored by SAK, the largest central trade union in Finland, and ten of its 23 affiliated unions.

If you want the text quicklyto be  translated into French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish, you may try Babel fish, but remember what its provider says: "Machine translation produces reasonable results in many cases. But you should not rely on it."


logo.gif (3693 bytes)


National campaign bears fruit:
Demand for workers over 55 years of age has grown

Helsinki (25.04.2002 – Juhani Artto) In just a few years employer attitudes towards workers over 55 years of age have become more positive. This vital change has taken place to a large extent thanks to the National Programme for Ageing Workers 1998-2002. In association with the ministries of labour and education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health was primarily responsible for implementing the programme, while trade union and employer organisations supported the campaign.

Another factor behind the improved labour market position of older workers has been a general growth in demand for labour.

The new popularity of older workers appears in several documented phenomena and trends. The employment rate of older female workers was first to recover to the level of the months preceding the recession of the early 1990s. This was soon followed by the employment rate of older male workers, and was well ahead of a similar development among the younger generations.

Economic reasons also underlie
declining age discrimination

Four years ago half of those aged 55 to 59 years were employed. The corresponding proportion is now two-thirds. During these four years the average age of retirement rose by one year. Experts say that five years ago employees of around 30 years of age had the highest standing with employers. Nowadays age no longer matters as much.

A reduction in age discrimination in the labour market has been pursued as an objective for both individual and collective reasons. Any individual of working age must have the right to a job regardless of age. National economic projections in a country with a rapidly greying population offer other arguments for fighting age discrimination. The older the age structure of the population, the more important it is to extend individual working careers. Failure to do would burden social welfare programmes in an unsustainable manner, or alternatively would force cuts in these programmes.

At enterprise level the increased interest in older workers has other reasons. Campaigners have called attention to the fact that older employees lose fewer working days on sick leave. Recently there has also been some public interest in the so-called "quiet skills". Older workers know from experience of many benefits for their working communities of which younger employees are unaware.

Not everything behind the improved figures gives cause for comfort, however. Even in recent times, when the situation has called for downsizing, it has been customary to encourage older employees to take early retirement or to embark on a path of various social benefits that leads to this end. Research now indicates that this has changed. Nowadays employers prefer to use fixed-time employment as a buffer, which in turn has undermined the labour market position of the younger generations.

Elderly employees
in need of education

One weakness of older workers tends to be a lack of education, with a significant proportion educated only to primary or secondary level. The National Programme for Ageing Workers 1998-2002 did not achieve all of its educational goals. Therefore in coming years there will be greater investment in the education of older workers.

Adult education resources will be focused especially on industries that are not top priorities for younger generations.

Roughly one third of those in the labour market are weakly equipped to meet the special demands of the information society. The authorities plan to halve this proportion by 2005.

When evaluating the achievements and weaknesses of the programme, researchers conclude that more attention must also be paid to the physical and mental working conditions older workers. This includes the special skills needed in managing older workers. So far more than one thousand foremen have been trained in age management.

Experts point out, however, that although the labour market position of older workers has improved, it remains a weak one.

For further details:

 

 
Other sites on economy and working life:

viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Everything at stake - safeguarding interests in a world without frontiers
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Statistics Finland
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Occupational safety and health in Finland, Socius 2-2001 (pdf-file)
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes)
Documents of the SAK 16th Congress 28-30.5.2001
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Ten years of working conditions in the European Union, Eurofound's research summary (pdf-file)
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) In terms of real property, one Finland equals two Nokias, Helsingin Sanomat 08.01.2001
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) The growth of the Finnish economy did not eradicate unemployment, Helsingin Sanomat 03.01.2001
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Only one Finn in nine actually retire as late as 65, Helsingin Sanomat 02.01.2001
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Incomes policy agreement approved; The incomes policy agreement in a nutshell;The economic backgrounf of the incomes policy agreement  SAK 15.12.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Collective bargaining in Finland 1999-2000, Pekka Sauramo, Labour Institute for Economic Research, Helsinki (pdf-file)
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Working environment greater cause of absenteeism than lifestyle Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 05.12.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) New job creation down 50 % this year Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 01.12.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Made in Hong Finland Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 28.11.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Bars and restaurants among Finland's most hazardous work places Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 27.11.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Finland faces labour shortage in all sectors in 2005 Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 23.11.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) New two-year incomes agreement announced Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 17.11.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Increased disparities in wealth distribution Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 09.11.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Floating shopping centers might become a thing of the past Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 24.10.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) SAK member unions vote to go with two-year wage deal Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 03.10.2000
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) National Economy
and State Finances

Ministry of Finance
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Occupational Safety and Health Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Dispute highlights threats to Finnish seafarers' jobs eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Strikes break out as bargaining round nears conclusion eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) "Barometer" examines industrial relations in Baltic states eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Strike levels fall in 1999 eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Action programme launched to promote "ability to cope" at work eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) SAK computer campaign proves successful eironline
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) European working time conference held in Helsinki
eironline

More on
and in Finland:

viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Etusivu - The Finnish Link Resource
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Helsinki Camera - Views over the city
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Virtual Finland - Information about Finland - Facts about Finland
provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs

viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Finland - World Fact Book entry - tons of links!
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Statistics Finland
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Helsingin Sanomat - International Edition - News from Finland
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Need a reliable lawyer - The Finnish Bar Association can help
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Moving to Finland? - Directorate of Immigration
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) Ministry of Labour Migration affairs page
viiva.jpg (1278 bytes) National Equal Opportunities Network - Fighting discrimination