In English
Hermes speaks nine languages
Nowadays, multilingual workplaces are becoming more and more prevalent in Finland. This is, of course, reflected in the Industrial Union membership.
The union wants to be better able to serve all of its members, and one way to do this is through better multilingual information.
At the end of May 2024, the Industrial Union published the app Teollisuusliiton Hermes. It provides updated information about working and living in Finland, for employees and employers.
The app can be used to look up information such as rules concerning pay, working hours and holidays.
This is an updated version of the previous Hermes app, which came in five languages for those doing seasonal work in the agriculture and forestry sectors. Now, the app – in nine languages – includes the terms of employment for five sectors. It serves two out of three of those working in the union’s collective bargaining sectors.
Access to correct and up-to-date information is a fundamental right of every employee.
As a part of this update, the largest sector of the union, the technology industry, is added to the app. The other sectors covered by the app are agriculture, horticulture, forestry and plant nursery.
The languages in the app are Finnish, Swedish, English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Estonian, Romanian and Vietnamese. One of the goals of the app is to use plain language. Collective agreements can be complicated and couched in complex language. In the app, these are explained in a way that is easier to understand.
– Access to correct and up-to-date information is a fundamental right of every employee. By providing information about terms of employment in multiple languages, the Teollisuusliiton Hermes app supports the diversity in Finnish working life, says Head of the Foreign Labour Unit, Riikka Vasama, in the union press release.
– At the same time, it allows employees and employers to interact on a more equal footing at the workplace by distributing more and more information to all employees. Making sure each and every person is aware of the law and their terms of employment benefits everyone, she adds.
Free, safe, anonymous
The Teollisuusliiton Hermes app is updated continuously. It collects key information on the Industrial Union collective agreements, services and membership benefits.
You can download the app, for free, at all main app stores.
The app is working not only in our two national languages Finnish and Swedish, but also in English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Estonian, Romanian and Vietnamese. The Union website gives information in these nine languages.
As there are many languages to use, it is also possible to switch between languages. This can be helpful if an employee and employer do not have a common language to communicate. Both can check the app in a language they understand.
To open the most important information in the app, no mobile connection is needed. However, opening the links and updating the app, you need a mobile connection.
If you have downloaded the earlier version of the app, you will need to update it. There are many new features.
The Teollisuusliiton Hermes app does not collect any personal data of the users. Also, using the app is fully anonymous. It is absolutely free to download and use.
