Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Finland (Ratification: 1979)

Article 5, paragraph 3, of the Convention. Settlement of disputes. The Committee notes the observations made by the Commission of Local Authority Employers (KT) concerning the industrial action taken by the Union of Health Professionals (TEHY) during the collective negotiations held in autumn 2007. According to these observations, the TEHY attempted to force a 25 per cent pay increase by undertaking a mass resignation that directly and critically threatened the life and health of patients. TEHY action allegedly affected emergency units and operations in complete disregard of ministerial directives and established labour practices. The Committee requests the Government to transmit any comments it may wish to make in reaction to the observations of KT, especially in light of Article 5(3) of the Convention which requires the settlement of collective labour disputes through independent and impartial procedures such as mediation, conciliation and voluntary arbitration with a view to making it unnecessary for the organizations of nursing personnel to have recourse to industrial action which may be disruptive of sensitive health-care operations.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.