Työehtosopimuksia

Työehtosopimuksia, commonly referred to as TES, are collective labour agreements in Finland negotiated between trade unions and employers’ associations. They regulate terms and conditions of employment that go beyond the minimums set by national law. TESs cover areas such as wages, working hours, overtime pay, annual holidays and holiday pay, shift work, occupational safety, sickness and parental leave, fringe benefits, and sometimes pension arrangements. They may also address training, equality and non‑discrimination, and layoff procedures or dispute resolution mechanisms.

The parties to a TES are typically sectoral or national trade unions on the employee side and employers’ associations on the employer side. In some sectors, a TES can be extended by government decree to apply to all employers and employees within the sector, even if they are not signatories. Without such extension, the agreement binds only those employers and employees that are parties to the contract or who have agreed to be bound by it.

A TES is usually concluded for a fixed term, commonly around two years, after which it expires or is renewed. It operates alongside statutory rights, effectively providing higher or more specific terms in many cases, while the law sets the baseline. Public sector workplaces in Finland typically follow separate collective agreements negotiated by their own central bodies, distinct from many private-sector TESs.

Overall, workehtosopimuksia are a central feature of Finland’s labour relations, balancing standardized industry-wide terms with flexibility for sector-specific conditions, and providing a framework for predictability in wages and working conditions for both employers and workers.