Working Conditions in Finland Case Nokia Plc Finland

Working Conditions in Finland Case: Nokia Plc. , Finland ”Core Business of Company”

A Presentation at C. O. M. U. , Faculty of Econ. & Bus. Adm. Week 48, 2006 Ismo Koponen, Mr Oulu Polytechnic- University of Applied Sciences

? ? ? • What are three things you find important when evaluating the working conditions your employer is offering… • . . . the three after a proper salary paied on time ? ? ?

Working in Finland • Labour and job safety laws are applied to all employees regardless of their nationality.

Collective agreements • Unions agree upon pay and working conditions, collectively • An agreement exists in most working branches

Work contract • Between employer and employee • In written form stating e. g. : • names, starting date, duration of employement, working hours, trial period, and pay

Working hours • Regular working hours (max. ): • 8 hours daily • 40 hours weekly

Wages • No universal minimun wage (!) • Collective agreements set the practical minimums • Wages determined according to • professional skills, experience, and geographical area

Examples on wages • Construction branch (valid 01. 03. 2006) • Wage (Euros / h): • skill class one: 7, 39 - skill class six: 12, 03

Pay … • … during illness: full pay after having been working for same employer at least a month • … for overtime: incresed by 50% or 100% • Sunday work is paid by doubled wages.

Accident insurances • Mandatory accident insurance • If there is a ’sending country’, …

Rest periods and holidays • If the daily working time is at least 6 hours the employee is given a 30 min (!) lunch break • Full pay also for time spent on holiday; • 2 days for each ’holiday credit month’

”Two thruths” • ”About a half of the Finnish work force know what is expected from them; the other half is unaware of what they are needed for and what they should focus on” (see article, Feb 10: th, 2006).

Two thruths; continued (ibid. ) • • • Fighting discrimination and mobbing: - employers: 90% vs …ees: 60% Long term orientation in recruitment: - employers: 90% vs …ees: 50% Career planning and training: - employers: 65% vs …ees: 30%

Case: Nokia Plc. , Finland • • What is the companys core business ? What might manufacturing and marketing of A/D Signal Converters for TV Sets be for Nokia Plc. ?

Current situation, and its affect on working conditions • A/D Converters do not support the brand • Manufacturing and marketing will be quit • Message shared with the media: ”Company will focus on its core business”, again ! • Work force will be ’let free’ • Work force will take a part of the business risk, and face some insecurity

The outcome • Today’s working conditions seem to require • - high tolerance of insecurity, and perhaps • - some intrapreneurship, too. • Thank you for your attention, ladies and gentlemen ! • ikoponen@oamk. fi