In order to expedite the negotiations, Tehy announced a strike in November. However, Tehy cancelled the strike in order to secure vital emergency medical services and the health of citizens, as an exceptionally intense snowstorm coincided with the strike days. The requirement set by Tehy for the cancellation of the strike was for the employer to stop pushing for the zero line and for the mediation process to resume immediately.
Tehy’s demand was met and the mediation process continued once the strike was cancelled. At the same time, Matti Harjuniemi stepped in as the conciliator involved at the National Conciliator’s Office. Led by Harjuniemi, the negotiations proceeded and the parties reached an agreement on 17 December 2024.
Pay increases and a one-time payment
As per the solution achieved, employees will receive a general raise of 2.05% on 1 February 2025. In addition to that, they will receive a one-time payment of 550 euros alongside their salary in February.
The 2025 general raise is determined in accordance with the so-called reference sector entry and salaries will increase as of 1 December 2025.
Tehy Negotiations Manager Vappu Okkeri says that the most important matter during this negotiation round was the preservation of the pay rescue programme. A long-term rescue programme was agreed upon in 2022, the objective being for the emergency medical services sector to achieve the duty-specific pay level of paramedics working in the wellbeing services counties tentatively by 2029.
– The employer side was aiming to abolish the rescue programme, but we managed to preserve it, Okkeri comments.
– The private emergency medical services sector produces services for the public sector, and the work duties are the same as in the wellbeing services counties. Because of this, we at Tehy demanded for the pay programme to be continued. Another advantage of the pay programme is that it also enables businesses to anticipate pay increases in a controlled manner.
Improvements to employment terms
The negotiations also resulted in text improvements to the collective agreement for the private emergency medical services sector, the most significant of which is related to increasing the obligatoriness of task-specific increments paid for more demanding duties.
It was also agreed that shifts lasting at least ten hours will feature another recreational break. The conditions for receiving meal allowance were also improved. Additionally, two working groups were agreed to be established for the agreement period: a training working group and an occupational wellbeing group.
Enquiries: Tehy Negotiations Manager Vappu Okkeri [email protected], tel. +358 400 913 230.