The principle of JUKO and its member unions is to always proceed by negotiating and agreeing. However, negotiations may end up in a deadlock for one reason or another. In such cases, the collective power of the members is needed.
Industrial action is not an end in itself, and no union enters negotiations with the aim of striking. Industrial action is always a last resort, a carefully considered pressure tactic aimed at accelerating negotiations and achieving a fair and just outcome for employees.
A state without an agreement is a common practice in the labor market. If negotiators do not reach a negotiation result by the deadline that the parties accept as the new collective agreement, the entire sector moves into a state without an agreement. In a state without an agreement, industrial actions are a legal and permissible means of pressure if negotiations do not progress.
The general collective agreement for universities is valid until March 31st, 2025. Until then, negotiations are ongoing with the aim of achieving a good negotiation result for university employees.
A strike is not the only form of industrial action that can be taken. Other means include walkouts, demonstrations, overtime and shift change bans, and hiring bans.
JUKO’s university sector strike committee has reviewed various scenarios and prepared suitable industrial action models for them. Engaging in industrial action requires an organisational decision. In JUKO, the decision is made both in the unions and in JUKO’s administration.
A strike is not entirely unheard of in the university sector either. In 2018, the University of Helsinki was the first university in Finnish labor market history to go on strike. The strike threat affected several universities, and support strikes had already been declared before an agreement was finally reached. Collective power played an undeniable role in reaching the agreement at that time.
Maija Holma
Negotiation Manager
The Union of Professionals in Natural, Environmental and Forestry Sciences Loimu
