According to the Working Life Barometer, nearly three quarters of employees considered their possibilities to reconcile work and other life good in 2023. On the other hand, there is plenty of room for improvement in competence development at workplaces.

At their meeting of 11 March, the EU ministers for employment and social affairs approved the agreement reached with the European Parliament on the Platform Work Directive. Minister of Employment Arto Satonen represented Finland at the meeting in Brussels.

The Government proposes to increase fines for violating industrial peace, limit disproportionate solidarity action and restrict the length of political strikes. The reform would not restrict industrial action aimed at improving working conditions in one’s own sector.

The Government is to submit a proposal for amendments to industrial peace legislation on 29 February 2024. The reform will enhance the sanctions system for unlawful strikes, limit disproportionate solidarity action and restrict the length of political industrial action.

The consultation round concerning the changes to industrial peace legislation ended on 5 December 2023. In total, 53 comments were submitted. As part of further preparations, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will now analyse the feedback received. The ministerial working group on employment and entrepreneurship will discuss the reform still in December 2023. The draft proposal will also be sent to the Finnish Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis for evaluation.