Seasonal work made less attractive

One of the harshest changes doubles the time in work needed to get earnings-related unemplo­y­ment allowance. For now, one needs to have 26 weeks (about six months) emplo­y­ment during the 28 months prece­ding unemployment.

From September this year, this emplo­y­ment condi­tion will be extended from 6 to 12 months during these same 28 months. This means it will be much harder to be eligible for earnings-related unemplo­y­ment benefits, just like the govern­ment parties intend it to be.

At the same time, the emplo­y­ment condi­tion will be linked to euros earned. From September, one must earn in each of these 12 months needed at least 930 euro a month. Until now, the rule is that one must work at least 18 hours in each of the 26 weeks needed.

The changes in the work requi­re­ment can make life more difficult for those in seasonal work. For them, it will be more difficult to get earnings-related unemplo­y­ment allowance for the time when there is no work available in their own branch.

The changes in the work requi­re­ment can make life more difficult for those in seasonal work.

In Finland, there is a big number of people doing seasonal work. For instance, in agricul­ture, forestry, horticul­ture and landsca­ping branches, work is done mainly in the snow-free months of the year.

Though people in seasonal work seek other work outside their usual working months, this work is not always available. And when it exists, it is in many cases somew­here else than in the area where one lives. The result would be a modern nomadic life, moving several times a year.

Another plan of the right-wing govern­ment is that those living in Finland with a residence permit, must, in case of unemplo­y­ment, find a new job within three months or leave the country.

This would make life for many foreign people in Finland difficult in general, and in particular for those in seasonal work.

Insecu­rity for foreign employees

– Even now the emplo­yers have problems finding emplo­yees. These branches do not attract too many Finns due to the seasonal nature of the work, generally heavy work and quite low pay, says Riikka Vasama, the Bargai­ning Specia­list at the Industrial Union in her inter­view in Finnish for this magazine (page 8).

For example, in the agricul­ture and horticul­ture sector the share of foreign emplo­yees is high. The Industrial Union and the Federa­tion of Agricul­tural Emplo­yers estimate that half of the people working in these branches have a foreign background.

– When speaking about seasonal workers, in some workplaces the share is 80–90 per cent, and in some cases even a 100 per cent.

Many of the seasonal branches are very impor­tant for Finland.

– We do speak about producing food, local food and ecology. These branches are impor­tant for Finland even for the security of supply, Vasama stresses.

– I believe that due to these govern­ment actions the attrac­ti­ve­ness of these branches will not be growing.