Reader opinion Caregivers would benefit most from the wage harmonization of the SOTE reform

Opinion|Reader’s opinion

I do Chairman Millariikka Rytkönen said (HS 29.1.) On the collective bargaining objectives of its organization. Surprisingly, Rytkönen said that the wage harmonization of the SOTE reform would not really increase carers’ salaries by more than a few euros. That is not the case. On the other hand, the same trade unions point out that wage harmonization, as they wish, could cost more than a billion euros.

Employers in municipal and welfare areas The RK’s estimate has been an additional cost of approximately EUR 500–700 million if the salaries in the social services sector are harmonized according to the most expensive municipal salaries in each future welfare area. If harmonization were carried out according to the median salary of the region without calculating anyone’s salary, as KT has suggested, the additional cost would be around EUR 60 million, according to KT. Trade unions are strongly opposed to such a model.

Caregivers are by far the largest professional group in welfare areas, so they will also benefit most from the benefits of harmonization. If the outcome after the transition period were even an additional cost of EUR 600 million, it would be 7% of the 8.5 billion labor costs of SOTS staff moving to the regions. This would therefore be on top of other salary increases to be agreed. It is not a small but a really large amount of money. For example, seven per cent of the average total salary of a municipal nurse of around EUR 3 310 would mean an increase of EUR 232.

This additional cost should, of course, be taken into account when agreeing on other salary increases in the social services sector. While there are many understanders of carers ’pay aspirations, there is less understanding of large tax increases.

Tuomas Mänttäri

labor market leader

Welfare area Hali

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