Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - Finland (Ratification: 1983)

Further to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes with satisfaction that since the spring 1988 collective bargaining, wage agreements in the private sector no longer restrict to the mother the right to be absent from work to take care of a suddenly ill child under 10 years and now grant an equal right to paid absence to both parents, thus ensuring equality of treatment between men and women workers with family responsibilities, in accordance with Articles 1 and 4 of the Convention.

Article 4 of the Convention. The Committee has also noted with interest that the Contracts of Employment Act, as amended as from 1 August 1988, provides for temporary care leave in case of sickness of a child under ten, and for partial care leave in the form of shorter working hours for parents of children under four. Under Act No. 4/89 amending the Act on Child Home-Care Subsidy, the parent or guardian of a child under three whose working week is not more than 30 hours because of caring for a child has the right to partial home-care subsidy.

Article 5. The Committee has noted with interest that the main goal of the present legislation is to substantially increase the support provided by society to parents of children under three and to give parents an option in arranging for the care of small children and that in 1990 parents or guardians of children under three will by law have the right to choose either home-care subsidy or a municipally provided day-care place for the child at the end of paid parental leave. In this regard, the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Confederation of Salaried Employees (TVK) and the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professions in Finland (AKAVA) have stated that despite the legislation, there are not enough municipal day-care places, which puts parents in a position of inequality, as providing private day care requires greater financial sacrifices and is a less reliable alternative. They also point out that parents working evening and night shifts almost always have to arrange their child care themselves. The Committee hopes that the next report will indicate the developments in this regard.