Husi’s branch manager’s comments about the national agreement limiting wage competition raised questions. According to Hus, it is not a wage cartel.
To wages related issues should be resolved together with various social security operators, so that the competition for human resources does not become financially unsustainable, CEO of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (Hus) Matti Bergendahl says.
The shortage of surrogates and overcrowded medical care have been prominently featured in the summer. Hus’ branch manager Jukka Louhija commented to HS from the beginning of the week that the problem is the availability of personnel.
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According to Louhija, Hus cannot compete for personnel on wages due to the national agreement.
The comments sparked discussion on social media, among others. It was unclear whether Louhija was referring to the collective agreement. The collective agreement does not set an upper limit for the salary, but defines the minimum salary.
Hus did not respond to HS’s call requests. Bergendahl commented on the subject via e-mail.
“Hus is not involved in or aware of any wage cartel,” he replied.
Bergendahl appeals to the budget frames set by the owner municipalities. According to him, the coronavirus pandemic in particular has disciplined Husi’s economy with a heavy hand, which is why the possibilities for raising wages are limited.
“Especially from the beginning of next year, when the welfare areas and Hus are funded directly from the state, the issues related to salaries must also be resolved together with the various social and welfare operators, so that we do not compete in an economically unsustainable way for the same human resources,” Bergandahl answers.
Real Finland acting director of the hospital district manager Petri Virolainen says that the hospital districts do not have an actual contract, but rather a common state of will.
“We always have differences, that some pay a better salary than others, but the state of the will is not to compete for each other’s lives,” Virolainen says.
In the current labor market situation, Virolainen wants to focus on waiting for a national consensus on the nurses’ salary dispute.
“Now that the round is underway, the hospital districts will not go solo with their own solutions.”
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