Trade Union JHL

Second strike warning for the private teaching sector

If the four-day strike happens, it will take place from 13 to 16 May. The strike will encompass those educational institutions that participated in the previous strike, as well as some additional new locations. Strike action expands to music schools.

Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL, Trade Union of Education in Finland OAJ and Trade Union Jyty have negotiated all spring about a collective agreement with Finnish Education Employers (Sivista). The aim of these negotiations has been a new collective agreement on the terms and conditions of employment in the private teaching sector. The parties have carried out negotiations in the National Concialator’s office with no result so far. Conciliation led by the National Conciliator will continue on 30 April.

The employee parties issued a second strike warning on Sunday 28 April at 10 pm. The strike involves in total over 2000 union members in seven localities, who are covered by the collective agreement for the private teaching sector. If the strike takes place, it will start on Monday 13 May at 12.01 am and end on Thursday 16 May at 11.59 pm. The strike encompasses those educational institutions that participated the previous work stoppage, as well as some new employers.

This is not a political strike that opposes the Finnish Government’s weakenings to working life. The purpose of this strike is to speed up negotiations on the union members’ terms and conditions of employment in the private teaching sector.

According to JHL, OAJ and Jyty, the views of the employee and employer parties are far from each other regarding the payment solution and the text of the agreement. Pay development must remain competitive also in the future. In addition to that, the shop stewards must be better enabled to carry out their responsibilities.

The organisations hope that they do not need to resort to strikes and that instead of strikes a satisfactory solution is reached through negotiations.

Impacts of the strike

According to the notification issued by JHL, OAJ and Jyty, the strike will start on Monday 13 May at 12.01 am and end on Thursday 16 May at 11.59 pm.

The strike would concern work shifts that start during the above-mentioned period of time in the following schools and educational institutions:

  • Apollon yhteiskoulu, Apollon yhteiskoulun kannatusyhdistys ry 
  • The English School, Englantilaisen koulun säätiö sr
  • Deutsche Schule Helsinki, Kouluyhdistys Pestalozzi Schulverein Skolföreningen ry
  • Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu 
  • Helsingin Uusi Yhteiskoulu Oy 
  • Helsingin Yhteislyseo, Helsingin Maanviljelyslyseo Oy 
  • Herttoniemen Yhteiskoulu ja reaalilukio Oy 
  • Hyria Koulutus Oy   
  • International School of Helsinki 
  • Itä-Helsingin musiikkiopisto, Itä-Helsingin musiikkiopiston kannatusyhdistys ry 
  • Kalevan lukio, Kalevan lukion kannatusyhdistys ry  
  • Kouvolan Ammattiopisto Oy, Eduko 
  • Kulosaaren Yhteiskoulu Oy 
  • Lahden Konservatorio Oy 
  • Lahden yhteiskoulu, Lahden yhteiskoulun säätiö sr 
  • Lauttasaaren Yhteiskoulu, Lauttasaaren yhteiskoulun säätiö sr 
  • Maunulan Yhteiskoulu ja Helsingin Matematiikkalukio, Viipurin reaalikoulu Oy 
  • Munkkiniemen Yhteiskoulu, Munkkiniemen koulutussäätiö sr 
  • Oulunkylän Yhteiskoulu, Oulunkylän yhteiskoulun säätiö sr 
  • Pohjois-Haagan Yhteiskoulu Oy 
  • Suomen Diakoniaopisto – Sdo Oy   
  • Svenska samskolan i Tammerfors 
  • Tampereen konservatorio, Tampereen musiikkiopiston säätiö sr 
  • Tampereen yhteiskoulun lukio, Tampereen yhteiskoulun säätiö sr 
  • Töölön Yhteiskoulu Oy 

Such work tasks where not carrying out the tasks might endanger life, health, safety or property will be ruled outside industrial action.

In addition, the following are excluded from this industrial action:

  • Work tasks that are necessary for organising the IB and DIA final exams
  • Principals of the schools
  • The entire Oulu campus of Suomen Diakoniaopisto – Sdo Oy
  • Education in general upper secondary schools for adults

What is this strike about?

  • The private teaching sector’s collective agreement expired at the end of March. The collective agreement for the private teaching sector is applied in private general education schools as well as in many vocational education institutions, institutions of basic education in the arts and liberal adult education and in many folk high schools and sports institutes.
  • After the expiry of the collective agreement the obligation to maintain industrial peace no longer applies. The purpose of the strike is to speed up the process of reaching a collective agreement. In other words, this is not a political strike.
  • The terms and conditions of employment for those employees who are covered by the agreement remain as is based on so called continuing effect until a new collective agreement is reached.
  • In addition to teachers, the collective agreement for the private teaching sector applies to administration and support staff of the educational institutions, who are represented by JHL and Jyty.
  • If the strike takes place, JHL, OAJ and Jyty will pay a strike benefit for those members who are on strike. The organisations will provide more detailed information on the strike arrangements for their members in their own communication channels.

More information:

Hanna Katajamäki
Senior Bargaining Specialist, JHL
050 513 7701
hanna.katajamaki@jhl.fi

Pasi Repo
Chief of Negotiations, OAJ
020 748 9719
pasi.repo@oaj.fi

Veli Vähämäki
Labour Market Specialist, Jyty 
040 630 6340
veli.vahamaki@jytyliitto.fi