SAK for new Int´l convention on violence, harassment

Finnish trade union confederations believe that a new international Convention on violence and harassment will be an important measure to finally develop legislation to protect workers from violence and harassment and to promote gender equality in the world of work.

Paula Ilveskivi, Senior Legal Adviser at the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), expressed the Finnish trade unions' position on ILO report on the Women at Work Initiative on Wednesday at ILO's annual Labour Conference in Geneva, said a press release.

She also held the government austerity measures responsible for backward steps in the last three years.

“During the last three years backward steps have been taken as the consequence of austerity measures of the Finnish government,” Ilveskivi said.

Even though Finland has been part of Nordic welfare states and have a long history of women's involvement in working life and in society, many problems remain, and new ones are emerging.

Social security benefits and services have been cut and even children's subjective right to early childhood education has been limited subject to their parent's participation in working life. This complicates, for example the return of unemployed parents to the labour market.

The SAK adviser pointed out that welfare state, which has been built together with government and social partners, can be considered as a project of gender equality. Universal social rights – benefits and services – including parental leaves, which are compensated, child care and the care of elderly people among others have provided opportunities for women to participate in working life.

Moreover, the right for everyone to education from early childhood education and primary school to higher education without being prevented by economic hardship has guaranteed capacities for women as well, she added.

Finnish trade union confederations point out that efforts to develop more detailed legislation preventing violence and harassment, instituting appropriate means of protection, after-care and reporting, and ensuring due process for victims have failed time and again in Finland due to opposition from employers, and with the government lacking the political will to enact such instruments in Finnish legislation.

To be able to reach the goal of gender equality and the right to physical and psychological self-determination for all, we need to be more ambitious in building trust and functioning tripartite co-operation at the national level and at the global level. We must bear in mind that fundamental principles and rights at work guaranteed by ILO Conventions as universal human rights are to be respected and enforced without any limitation or derogation.