One job - different working conditions

In postal work, different working conditions are being used with employees doing the same job. This is wrong. By becoming a member of PAU, we can demand together that employers follow at least the minimum conditions set by the industry’s generally binding collective agreement VVLTES. This is teamwork! #joukkuevoimalaji

You can become a member of PAU by filling out the electronic membership form here. The membership fee is 1.59 % from your gross income and it is fully tax-deductible.

Different working conditions distort the competition in the industry and put employees in an unequal position. Right now it is possible that two employees doing the same job next to each other have very different salaries and very different working conditions. PAU's collective agreement VVLTES is generally binding in the industry. However, the vast majority of Posti's subcontracting and temporary labor companies use the cheaper collective agreement Jakelu-TES (The Collective Agreement concerning Delivery Personel between Finnmedia and Industrial Union) for both delivery and sorting. Their working conditions and salary are worse. For example, SOL Logistiikkapalvelut Oy, Mailia Oy and Posti Palvelut Oy (excluding package sorting) use the cheaper collective agreement in postal work.

Here are a few examples of the differences in collective agreements:

What does PAU do?

A legal process started by PAU is currently underway regarding the working conditions of mail sorting work. Helsinki District Court gave its decision on 9 December 2021, which unfortunately ended in favor of the employer. However, PAU decided to appeal the matter to the Court of Appeal, which rejected PAU's appeal on June 11, 2024. PAU decided to apply for leave to appeal from the Supreme Court. The case is against SOL Logistiikkapalvelut Oy, which is following the cheapest collective agreement Jakelu-TES for the employees it sends to Posti's sorting centers. Jakelu-TES only has provisions for delivery work. In PAU's opinion, Jakelu-TES cannot be applied because it was not made for temporary agency work. PAU is doing everything in its power to turn the matter in the employees' favor.

What can you do?

Become a PAU member. PAU demands companies in the industry to follow the terms of employment at least at the level of the industry's generally binding collective agreement for the communications and logistics sector VVLTES. If you are subject to weaker terms of employment, you can influence the matter by becoming a PAU member. When a sufficient number of the company's employees are PAU members, we can demand the company to follow at least the minimum conditions set out by the generally binding VVLTES. It is not right that different working conditions are used for the same work. Take care of your rights, improve your working conditions!

Are members needed for a collective agreement?

The importance of the collective agreement for the employee is irreplaceable. The law only gives the bare minimum. For example, salaries, evening and night work bonuses, holiday bonus and bank holiday bonuses, as well as paid parental leave only come from a collective agreement negotiated by the trade union. Without a collective agreement, the employer can decide the working conditions. Trade unions need members to maintain and improve the benefits in collective agreements.

Plenty of member benefits

PAU's main task is to protect the interests of its members and negotiate working conditions. By becoming a member of PAU and the unemployment fund A-Kassa, you get both protection in work life and a lot of valuable member benefits: legal assistance in workplace conflicts, travel and accident insurance, unemployment insurance, training and courses, vacation benefits (Villa Aurala) and much more. By joining the union, you can also influence what your own branch (ammattiosasto) does. You can find more member benefits here. 

The union's membership fee is 1.59% from your gross income. The fee also includes your membership fee for the unemployment fund. The membership fee is fully tax-deductible. The Finnish Tax Office gets the amount of your paid membership fees from the union and should do the deduction automatically.

How you become a member

Become a PAU member here. If your employer does not deduct your membership fee directly from your salary or you do not want your employer to know that you are a member of the union, you can pay your membership fee to the union yourself. In that case, choose "Self-billing" (itsemaksava) on the membership form. We will send you instructions and reference numbers for paying the membership fee.

Read the story of two temporary agency workers (in Finnish)

Upstairs, downstairs

In 2019, Veeti Kilpi noticed an ad on Duunitori where SOL Logistiikkapalvelut was searching for employees to work in the Kuopio post center. Veeti was quickly hired. Veeti soon noticed that the temporary agency workers had different working conditions to those working directly for Posti. Veeti's interview was published in Reitti magazine 8/2020. Read Veeti's story here (in Finnish). 

Job remained the same but the salary decreased

Heidi Helander got a summer job at Posti in Varkaus 2017. In the beginning, Heidi’s employer was Posti, but it soon changed to SOL Logistiikkapalvelut. The work did not change, but the working conditions worsened. Heidi's interview was published in Reitti magazine 8/2020. Read Heidi's story here. (in Finnish). 

Updated 29th Jyly 2024