Know your Rights
As the fall is arriving and new researchers
and PhD students begin their work at the
universities, it is a good time to remind everyone of
the importance of belonging to a trade union.
Especially now, when there are economical difficulties,
it is important for the employees to organize.
There is always power in numbers.
Trade unions, especially FUURT, offer their members
many things. For some reason, it seems that the
trade unions are often associated especially with the
better unemployment benefits (earnings based benefits),
but trade unions do offer their members a lot
more than just unemployment benefits. I will not list
all membership benefits here, but there is a link at
the end where you may find a list of the benefits offered
by FUURT.
FUURT's main focus as a trade union is at the
universities. FUURT is also a part of the collective
bargaining system and thus has power to affect the
Collective agreement. Being a part of the negotiations
also gives FUURT better understanding of the
collective system and what has been agreed upon
in the Collective agreement. This way we can help
our members with their questions about their employment
at the universities. For example, members
often have questions about the salary system in the
collective agreement, since it is not a very simple
system to comprehend.
The local employees' representatives, the shop
stewards, are there to locally help the members and
are located at each campus. The shop stewards may
advice members regarding the collective agreement,
local practices, assist you in possible hearings at the
work place and also negotiate on members' behalf.
If you enter into a contract with the university,
be it an employment contract, IPR-contract, a termination
of the employment relationship or any
other employment related contract, you may always
seek consultation at FUURT.
Also, if there are difficulties at the work place, bullying, harassment, the
employer looking to terminate
the employment
relationship for some reason,
or any other such difficulties,
FUURT can assist you in these matters. Also
if you have been working under several fixed-term
contracts and want to know whether there has been
a legal premise for those or you feel you were for
example illegally terminated, FUURT can help you
by assessing the situation and negotiating with the
employer. If need be and the matter proceeds into
court, FUURT provides their members a legal insurance
up to 10.000 euros to help a member with the
legal fees.
FUURT also provides its members consultation
in non-labor law related matters via law firm Eversheds
Attorneys.
Look out for your local "Know your rights" seminars
and come hear more about your rights as a university
employee.
For further details, please visit www.tieteentekijoidenliitto.fi, especially http://tieteentekijoidenliitto.fi/en/membership/membership_benefits
text Mia Weckman
lawyer, the Finnish Union of
University Researchers and Teachers
- Painetussa lehdessä sivu 37
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