Finland: Chemicals agreement opens bargaining round

In June 2007, the social partners in the chemicals industry reached a collective agreement that is expected to act as a benchmark for pay rises when bargaining starts in other sectors in August.

Over recent years, the Finnish bargaining system has been based on the conclusion of national incomes policy agreements by central trade union and employers' confederations, with sectoral trade unions and employers' organisations then, in most cases, implementing the central accord through their own industry-level agreements.