Riku Aalto: “The Finnish welfare society needs workers”
Labour immigration is a key part of the strategy guiding the Industrial Union’s work. Union President Riku Aalto says that the union opposes discrimination and hopes that as many immigrants as possible join a trade union.
Finland is ageing, and the share of working-age population decreases year by year. Immigration is needed to prevent Finnish society from stagnating.
“The Finnish welfare society needs workers,” says Riku Aalto, President of the Industrial Union.
The Union Congress of the Industrial Union in spring 2023 outlined that special attention must be paid to work-based immigration and the terms of employment of foreign workers during the strategy period 2023–2028.
“Many employees may come from countries that do not have the same kind of labour market system as in Finland. We want to make sure that new immigrants have knowledge of Finnish terms of employment,” says Aalto.
The Industrial Union has set up a new unit focusing on issues related to workers from foreign backgrounds. Issues that affect foreign workers are taken into consideration in all of the union’s activities.
“The issue also touches on the activities of union representatives and local branches.”
It is outlined in the strategy that the union will offer more of its services in different languages. In May, the language selection grew to nine on the Industrial Union’s website and in the Hermes app, where employees and employers can find up-to-date information about working and living in Finland.