STTK President Antti Palola thinks that Finland must continue to commit itself to building Europe through cooperation. Populist protectionism, in which each country pursues its own interests, must not be given a foothold within the EU. Palola will attend an EU debate organised by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo today, Thursday.
“The EU has been a value-based, close-knit community that has acted as a driving force for democracy, workers’ rights and an ambitious climate policy for the whole world. It must not wither in internal dividing lines,” Palola stresses.
The importance of the European Union for workers’ well-being and stable economic development cannot be exaggerated. Palola calls for consistency and a value-based approach in Finland’s own EU policy.
“A recent example of this oscillation is the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Some Member States, including Finland, are short-sightedly prepared to question a long-prepared compromise that supports human rights,” Palola says.
Developing working life and a fair transition as an election theme
Elections for the European Parliament will take place on Sunday 9 June 2024. In its election priorities, STTK emphasises the development of working life, the strengthening of social rights and a fair transition.
“These are tangible ways to improve the well-being of citizens and to ensure a level playing field on the internal market. I hope that these themes will also come up in the spring election debates,” Palola says.
The development of working life and social rights was promoted at the beginning of the current Commission’s period of office. Progress was made with the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages and the Pay Transparency Directive. Negotiations on the Platform Work Directive are still in progress. If implemented, the Directive would strengthen the legal protection, working conditions and terms of employment of platform workers and create common rules for businesses operating on digital platforms.
“From a Finnish wage-earner’s perspective, the EU has been very active in this, and the next Commission must keep up the pace. Rapidly changing working life continues to need fair rules. The green transition and the transition from fossil fuels must be implemented in a regionally, socially and economically fair way,” Palola points out.
“The Commission has also given strong support for social dialogue at both the European and national levels. This has been particularly important in the context of efforts to undermine labour rights and the preconditions for tripartite law-making in Finland.
Further information at STTK: Antti Palola, Chair, tel. +358 40 509 6030
| 2.2.2024