Labor market “The disadvantages of a teacher’s job are elsewhere than in the salary”, describes the class teacher’s recent agreement in the municipal sector

Municipal area agreed on Wednesday on a comprehensive three-year collective agreement for some 300,000 employees. The nursing associations were left out of the agreement.

The agreement raises municipal wages fairly in line with the general wage increase line. In addition, a five-year wage program was agreed, which will increase wages in the municipal sector more than in export sectors.

Read more: Such is the historical agreement in the municipal sector: The counter shows how the salaries of teachers, doctors and other employees are rising

Kallio primary school teacher Antti Jauhiainen welcomes the pay rise line, but believes that the new collective agreement does not reflect the changed job description of teachers over 10-15 years

“The agreement does not provide answers to the workload of the teacher and the increased workload, nor to the funding of the public sector, which should be improved,” Jauhiainen says.

Jauhiainen says that resources for child protection and child psychology should be increased. The overemployment in these areas is reflected in the work of teachers.

“The teacher is often the only adult who is in constant contact with the child. Many teachers have the experience that running things falls into the hands of a class teacher, even if it is part of social work. ”

He says strengthening state tax revenues would also be important because funding for public sectors depends on them.

Jauhiainen estimates that the new collective agreement will not significantly increase his monthly salary. He is worried about inflation, which has risen to almost six percent.

“The equation is difficult with rising housing costs, especially in the metropolitan area. However, I think the disadvantages of a teacher’s job are elsewhere than in pay. In the care sector, it is clear that pay needs to be raised. ”

Although the carers’ associations were left out of the agreement, and their members also receive salary increases in accordance with the municipal agreement.

A nurse working in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital districts Terhi Renko calculates that the collective agreement will raise his base salary by about 500 euros in five years. He is not happy about that.

“It’s something, but the problem isn’t just about pay. The problem is who does the nurse work because the same money can be made even easier. There are far too few of us on the field, ”says Renko.

Renko says the attractiveness of the nursing industry will not increase “a bit” because other municipal employees will receive the same increase.

In his opinion, it is good that the nursing associations did not join the municipal agreement. Above all, Renko is disappointed that decision-makers have not understood the problems in the care sector throughout the spring.

“It’s good not to give up. There is still hope that decision-makers will realize how to prioritize things in a different way. ”

Renko wonders that no tax rate reductions for caregivers have been proposed in public. A lower tax rate would increase the attractiveness of the sector.

“Then there would be no need to raise wages at all. If there is no bucket to give money, you could do the opposite. ”