Lawyer Anu Sajavaara will take up her position as the new National Conciliator on 6 August. The Finnish Government appointed her on 22 June.
The task of the National Conciliator is to assist the negotiating partners in the conciliation of labour disputes if a collective agreement cannot be reached without outside help. The arbitration system is based on the Act on Mediation in Labour Disputes.
Sajavaara is working as the Negotiations Director for labour market issues at Palta, the Service Sector Employers. She has had a many-sided career in public administration, the European Union, Jyväskylä University and various employers’ associations.
The National Conciliator is appointed for a four-year-period. Her predecessor, Vuokko Piekkala did not seek re-election. Piekkala had, on several occasions, met with strong criticism for bias and it would not have been possible for the trade union movement to accept her renewed term.
Neutrality and being able to listen to both sides in industrial conflicts is vital in this work. When electing a new National Conciliator, both trade unions’ and employers’ confederations are consulted.
In the autumn, Anu Sajavaara will also have to face the difficult dispute concerning the nurses’ collective agreements.
Heikki Jokinen
Read more:
New report considers changes to the institution of the National Conciliator (01.10.2020)
The National Conciliator’s proposal to end the postal strike totally ignored the core issue (20.11.2019)
The new National Conciliator takes up her duties amid claims of bias (07.08.2017)