Calling trade unions criminal organisations takes away trust

Immigrants have the most vulnerable position in working life, and they are the ones who would benefit the most from the security and support provided by trade unions.

On 15 February, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland published an action plan against labour exploitation. The action plan is based on the Finnish Government’s resolution on a strategy to prevent and combat labour exploitation.

One aim of the action plan is to improve the integration, establishment and social inclusion of foreign-origin employees and their families in the country. This aim is pursued by increasing advisory services, use of interpreters and information on society and working life rules in both Finland and the countries of origin. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland primarily wants to cooperate with labour market organisations when trying to achieve this aim. For that reason, it is very odd that Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman (Finns Party) used a derogatory tone that same evening when talking about his ministry’s most desired partners in the “A-studio” programme of Yle (a Finnish public service broadcasting company).

We share the concern that immigrants are at a particularly high risk of being exploited in working life. Having insufficient information about employee rights is of course one of the biggest risk factors, but we think it is even more significant that immigrants do not have trust in their rights being realised, in actors providing support – or even in the entire principle of the rule of law. Building this trust is not an easy task.

The rhetoric concerning “trade union fat cats in Hakaniemi” or “trade union mafia” is not only erroneous but, above all, dangerous.  The employees who have moved into Finland have the most vulnerable position in working life, which is why they are the ones who would benefit the most from the security and support provided by trade unions. Claiming that a trade union is a criminal organisation endangers our already challenging task of building trust between immigrants and the trade union movement. Many employees hail from countries where trade unions are either corrupted “palaces of the elite”, or where belonging to a union may cause problems with one’s employer or even be life-threatening.

JHL’s Immigrant Activities Specialists

Linda Savonen

Neleah Kagiri

This opinion piece was originally published in Finnish in daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on 21 February 2024.