24-hour strike warned in services sector from March 1

Cleaners, building managers and janitors of a number of companies are set to go on a 24-hour strike from March 1, if a collective agreement is not reached in the facilities services sector by the end of this month.

“The Executive Committee of the Service Union United (PAM) has decided to issue a strike warning for various sites in the facilities services sector in different parts of Finland,” said a press release issued by PAM.

PAM on Thursday broke off the collective agreement negotiations. “The situation in the negotiations yesterday was that the employers re-tabled their previous proposals and said no to our proposals. On pay rises, there was a promise of a general line only. We stated that we are unable to continue on that basis,” said PAM President Ann Selin.

As per the warning, the strike will cover 1,100 workers at 12 companies.

The press release said, “Workers in the facilities services sector – cleaners, building managers and janitors – have been very worried by the proposals made by the employers’ federation, for example, for removal of Sunday and other working time bonuses. Their worry has been about their incomes. They have also felt that the proposals show what little value employers place on their work. That has angered them.”

Another bone of contention, apart from the negotiations, has been that Real Estate Employers are collaborating with a business and training association that claims to represent employees. “In this case Real Estate Employers are exaggerating the association,” claims PAM.

“Besides rejecting these cuts, our objective is to improve the pay system and the level of pay in the sector. What Real Estate Employers are now proposing will not take the sector forward,” said the PAM president.

“We regret any inconveniences caused by the strike to people and the sites that are cleaned and managed. On the other hand, we believe that this will highlight the importance of the work done by cleaners and building managers in everyone’s everyday lives,” Selin added.

Meanwhile, a ban on overtime imposed by PAM on February 1 is still in force in the sector.