Figh­ting against migrant worker exploitation

20.4.2022

TEXT HEIKKI JOKINEN
PHOTO ISTOCK

In February, police repor­ted on a major extor­tion case of Viet­na­mese agricul­tu­ral workers in Närpiö, a small town in the Ostro­both­nia region on the west coast of Finland.

Three Viet­na­mese entrepre­neurs are under inves­ti­ga­tion for ille­gally deman­ding their compat­riots to pay some 10,000 euro each, or even more, to get them work in the green­houses in Närpiö.

The case aroused widespread discus­sion. Närpiö is known as a decent and orderly town with good expe­riences of immi­gra­tion and a low unemplo­y­ment rate. Now, Finns began to realise that foreign worker exploi­ta­tion can really happen anywhere.

As the number of foreig­ners has until recent years been rela­ti­vely low, Finland has been slow to wake up and unders­tand the exploi­ta­tion mecha­nisms of foreign workers. Now, there are many actors who are deter­mi­ned to work on these issues: autho­ri­ties, police, trade unions.

SAK, the Cent­ral Orga­ni­sa­tion of Finnish Trade Unions, has an emplo­yee rights hotline that can be reac­hed by telep­hone and e‑mail. It advi­ses emplo­yees of foreign origin in ques­tions and problems concer­ning their employment.

This free of charge service is open to all and does not require trade union members­hip. The service opera­tes in Finnish and English.

Through the hotline, union experts can check and explain emplo­y­ment cont­racts should the caller not unders­tand them. They can explain the correct wage and shift work or holi­day bonus in your branch.

Where the union is strong, workers can always better defend their rights.

Also, if you are facing harass­ment or disc­ri­mi­na­tion at work, the experts will offer help and advice on how to deal with it. What the hotline doesn’t do, is contact your emplo­yer or find a job for you.

Last year, the SAK hotline respon­ded to 417 people. Almost half of the ques­tions concer­ned pay, typically on shift work and holi­day bonuses.

Some 20 per cent of ques­tions concer­ned termi­na­ting the work cont­ract. Increa­singly, emplo­y­ment is disgui­sed as entrepre­neu­rial work thus leaving the worker without annual holi­day pay and occu­pa­tio­nal health service.

There are many sources to find accu­rate infor­ma­tion on the rules of working life in Finland. SAK unions have a joint website, www.tyoelamanpelisaannot.fi. It provi­des all basic facts in 20 languages.

Victim Support Finland is an autho­rity to contact in case you suspect you are the victim of a crime like labour exploi­ta­tion. On their website www.riku.fi is a short anima­ted film about workers’ rights in 16 langua­ges and notes on the featu­res of labour exploitation.

And, of course, the trade union always helps its members in every way. Where the union is strong, workers can always better defend their rights. Don’t mourn, organise!

SAK EMPLOYEE RIGHTS HOTLINE

0800 414 004
workinfinland@sak.fi
Mon 2–5 pm, Tue & Wed 9–11 am, 12–3 pm.