Article: “It allows you to straighten out simple things” – Developing working conditions is the most common reason to become a personnel representative
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“It allows you to straighten out simple things so that they don’t go wrong. It feels good,” says Tuula Aaltola, describing her own experience as a personnel representative.
Aaltola, who now works at TEK as a collective agreement expert, was a senior salaried employee’s shop steward at Nokia for about ten years.
She says she had doubted her suitability for the role of a personnel representative for the same reason as several others.
“Many people fear that they won’t be able to provide emotional support. I also thought I might not be empathetic enough, but I was surprised by how easy it was to support a colleague.
Basic tasks include advising the people represented and maintaining continuous dialogue
According to a survey conducted by YTN in May-June, the development of working conditions or terms of employment at one’s own workplace is the most common reason why a senior salaried employee decides to apply for the position of personnel representative.
“One third of the respondents mentioned this reason. The next most common motivators were that a representative was needed for local agreeing or that there was a problem at the workplace that the respondent wanted to resolve,” says Tuunia Keränen, who leads YTN’s research group.
When personnel representatives were asked what kinds of situations they had been involved in at the workplace, the most common answer was advising the people represented on employment-related matters, which was mentioned by 71 per cent of the respondents. Participating in continuous dialogue with the employer, such as membership of the advisory board, was a nearly as common answer (67 per cent). The next most common situations were local agreement negotiations on salary increases in accordance with the collective agreement, change negotiations related to termination of employment and supporting the people represented in their personal employment-related matters.
“The open answers showed that the personnel representative’s position is considered meaningful. Many respondents believe that it provides a broader perspective on their own company’s affairs and working life in general. In addition, the position allows you to influence common issues,” says Keränen.
Negative issues were also highlighted in the open answers. Some respondents felt that the role of the personnel representative was mentally burdensome, while others felt that it had negatively impacted their own career.
The survey also investigated how the personnel representative was originally appointed. “I was asked” was the most common answer.
Just over a third had decided to take on the position after being asked to do so by either the previous personnel representative or colleagues. Many of them had also acted as deputy personnel representatives and then become actual personnel representatives.
“I suggested taking a break from the negotiations”
Tuula Aaltola says that helping the people represented, which had sounded difficult in advance, was often rewarding when she acted as a shop steward at Nokia. One time, a senior salaried employee was being transferred to another position, and they discussed the matter with their supervisor. Aaltola participated in the discussion.
“The supervisor explained something about the position’s qualification class. I didn’t understand it and I suggested taking a break from the negotiations. We left the room and I asked the person represented if they had figured out whether the position’s qualification class was being changed. They looked at me with wide eyes and admitted that they had not understood what the supervisor was saying.”
The duo returned to the room and, at Aaltola’s suggestion, the person represented asked about the matter directly. The answer was that the qualification class would remain the same.
“After that, it was easier to continue the discussion. However, without the break from the negotiations and asking the question, the matter would have remained unclear and the employee would have been uncertain.
At best, a long-term shop steward has time to familiarise themselves with the working environment and thoughts of the people represented, which leads to confidential discussions between the shop steward and the people.
“This allows the shop steward to truly represent the entire personnel and not just their immediate circle.”
Aaltola didn’t need to take on the role of lawyer. If the person represented needed legal assistance, Aaltola directed them to seek advice from their union.
“However, I was able to answer many easier and more common questions myself. YTN’s high-quality training courses for shop stewards helped us to get to know the collective agreement and labour legislation.”
A competent personnel representative is also in the interest of the employer
A competent personnel representative who is trusted by the people represented can also be beneficial to the employer in local agreeeing.
“The employer is able to make more informed decisions when there is someone who they can talk to, who will provide information about the personnel’s feelings and with whom they can seek common understanding of the measures. It may be easier to implement local salary settlements or working time models through a shop steward.”
It is important that the shop steward is given sufficient relief from their actual duties by the employer. Otherwise, their workload will be too great and the quality of their work may suffer.
The lack of a collective agreement creates additional challenges in the commerce sector
Jaakko Hyvönen, the shop steward of the pet supplies company Musti Group, strives to ensure that the rights of colleagues are realised and that the personnel are heard.
“In the commerce sector, senior salaried employees do not have a collective agreement. Therefore, employees are largely dependent on legislation, and employers have a strong right of direction,” he explains.
When legislation is the only guideline, the possibilities for interpretation are more diverse.
“In this case, it is always necessary to understand from which direction the matter should be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Although I have a long and extensive trade union background, I have learned a lot about labour legislation and its interpretation in this position. You also learn interpersonal skills in this position, because when situations escalate, they also involve emotions.”
Hyvönen has succeeded in agreeing on improvements to workplace practices with the employer, which has brought joy to the entire personnel. It has also been rewarding to help colleagues in difficult situations.
Sometimes, problems have been caused by the freedoms he has to act as the employee representative in addition to his main duties. As a Demand Planner, he is responsible for sales forecasts, store availability and online store availability, among other things.
“I’ve had to argue about this a little sometimes.”
The shop steward’s core competence supports day-to-day work
“The former shop steward asked me if I would like to stand as a candidate, and my colleagues encouraged me. I’ve always felt strongly motivated to develop things at my workplace,” says Jenny Larikka.
Larikka has been the head shop steward of the Lemonsoft group for nearly a year, and she is based in Kouvola. In the IT service sector, shop stewards represent the entire personnel, and Larikka represents approximately 230 people around Finland at the company’s various offices.
“I feel that the shop steward’s position supports my day-to-day work. I sell programs related to working time management and human resources management. Learning about labour law as a shop steward often helps me answer customers’ questions, for example.
Other skills required of a head shop steward, such as negotiation skills and communication skills, are generally useful in working life. Larikka has not encountered any disadvantages to her position of trust.
“Our employer is positive and encouraging. We are a growing company, and in this role, I get to do a lot of interesting development work that I wouldn’t otherwise do.”
The duties also include dealing with issues that are negative for the individual, such as cancellations during the trial period. Every shop steward must find their own way of dealing with these situations.
“You can’t always predict your workdays. Sometimes there can be a rush, but this requires prioritisation.
Suspicions hamper the company’s joint development
Pasi Lähde has been the first deputy occupational safety representative at Wärtsilä since 2018.
“I thought that occupational safety matters could be interesting. Then I went on to stand as a candidate and won the election.”
For him, it was a continuation of a long chain of positions of trust. He has worked at Wärtsilä since 1985, and has accumulated positions of trust over more than two decades: from Vice Chairman of a senior salaried employees’ staff association to acting as a departmental shop steward and EWC representative. Lähde has the professional title Expert and works with classification issues in product development.
“Being able to talk to the management has been positive in these positions. Cooperation at Wärtsilä is generally good. However, it has sometimes been challenging to get open answers to questions.”
Lähde thinks the time reserved for cooperation meetings should be long enough to allow time for open discussion. This would increase mutual understanding and, at the same time, increase trust on both sides of the table.
“We’re in the same boat. Sometimes, however, I get the impression that we’re not always trusted to think seriously about the company’s best interests and not just our own. When we give presentations, the purpose is not to make things more difficult; it’s to make improvements to problems.
Text: Mikko Nikula
Images: Opa Latvala
Different roles of personnel representatives
A shop steward
- assists the personnel in employment-related matters, interprets the collective agreement at the workplace
- negotiates with the employer (e.g. local salary settlement or change negotiations), participates in continuous dialogue and workplace development
- elected either company or workplace-specifically
- names vary in different sectors; in addition to shop steward, contact person is used in the financial sector, for example
- position is based on a collective agreement that determines the election method and job description
Employee representative
- position is based on the Employment Contracts Act; similar role to shop steward but more restricted
- can be elected for companies/personnel groups that are not covered by any collective agreement
Occupational health and safety representative
- position is based on the occupational safety law
- develops occupational safety matters (including the psychosocial side of work), participates in the work of the occupational safety committee; however, the employer is responsible for occupational safety
Employee representative in company administration
- position is based on the Act on Co-operations within Undertakings
- employee representative on the company’s Board of Directors or Executive Board
EWC representative
- member of a European Works Council (EWC) which multinational companies have; EWC operation is regulated by the EU Directive
- the Works Council hears the personnel’s views on the company’s matters
Read more here:
- Who are the personnel representatives? General information on the position
- Personnel representative elected on the basis of a collective agreement and election of a shop steward
- Employee representation in sectors without a collective agreement and election of an employee representative
- The duties and election of an occupational safety representative
- We organise training for YTN’s personnel representatives
- Selvitys: Työolojen kehittäminen houkuttelee luottamustehtävään