Govt plans violate Int´l labour laws: SAK

The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions-SAK on Monday warned that the new provision for dismissal of employees inserted in the proposed programmes announced by the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) led four-party alliance government would be contradictory to the International labour agreements.

According to the programme announced by the right-wing government, the rule on the grounds for termination of an employee will be amended so that terminating an employment contract based on proper grounds would be sufficient in future.

SAK Legal Adviser Anu-Tuija Lehto said that the provision will weaken the protection of employees against dismissal, which will go against international agreements, said SAK in a press release.

As per the existing rule, employment contract could not be terminated by employer without a valid and compelling reason.

Lehto said that such amendment is not possible as per the international agreement or the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Convention number 158 of the International Labor Organization ILO concerns termination of employment by the employer. According to Article 4 of the agreement, terminating the employment relationship requires a valid reason.

“The agreements do not specify in detail what is meant by unreasonableness and how it should be evaluated in individual cases. Under the Finnish Employment Contracts Act, the issue must be resolved through an overall consideration where a proper compelling reason is mandatory, if the termination is based on financial, production-related or personal grounds,” Lehto said.

The SAK legal advisor pointed out that the requirement of a valid reason is also stipulated in Article 24 of the revised Social Charter of the Council of Europe.

In addition, according to Article 30 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the law must protect everyone from unjustified dismissal, Lehto said.