Healthcare workers in Finland are threatening a mass resignation in a labor dispute over wages.

The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals, which represents social and healthcare professionals, said it would seek a 24 percent pay increase over the next 30 months, Helsingen Sonomat reported Wednesday. The desired hike would mean incremental increases in monthly pay of between $565 and $848 by January 2010.

The pay increase the union, also known as Tehy, seeks is about twice the hikes the Commission for Local Authority Employers is offering, the Finnish publication said.

The Tehy executive board said it would decide Monday which employers and how many employees would be affected by the mass resignations.

Tehy's organization chief Kirsti Viljakainen said the action is thought to be more effective than a traditional strike, because striking health care workers would still be required to go maintain a basic level of service.

Viljakainen does not feel that there is any risk involved to individual employees. "We will not accept any contract until everyone is taken back to work under the previous terms."  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 11 October 2007   

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