Frequently asked questions regarding the strike

Will OAJ go on strike?

JUKO has issued several strike notices to the municipal sector, since the agreement negotiations have currently stalled in a way that it is otherwise impossible to achieve a fair agreement.

This does not automatically mean a strike, however. Our first goal is always to reach an agreement through negotiations.

The OAJ Executive Board decides on the strike and, if the strike is extensive, the decision is made by the OAJ Council.

The scope and duration of the strike is provided in the strike notice. JUKO has issued five notices of strike concerning OAJ members working under the municipal collective agreement for the education sector and general collective agreement for municipal personnel. 

In addition, the work of fifteen private schools in Helsinki and two in Tampere will be suspended for a week starting 3. May unless a solution is found for the private education sector before that. 

Why are OAJ members striking?

The strike is an industrial action used by OAJ and JUKO in order to conclude fair agreements for public sector teachers.

The first priority of OAJ is always to conclude the agreements with employers through negotiations. However, the agreement negotiations concerning public sector teachers have been challenging and have come to a standstill, so OAJ and JUKO have decided to implement the industrial actions.

A strike must always be soundly based. Negotiations have been ongoing in the background for a long time and different alternatives have been considered. In this situation, the employee side was left with no other alternative but to start the industrial action. Trade union membership obligates individual members to act in accordance with their union’s strike decision.

The benefits achieved through an industrial action are usually visible in long term. At various times, different employees have been forced to ensure fair agreements through industrial actions. Everyone participates in industrial actions, each in their turn. This is a question of solidarity towards other employees.

Will every OAJ member go on strike?/How will I know whether I’m in the scope of the strike?

If the strike is declared, it will include the following industrial actions:

In the first phase, the strike concerns OAJ members working under the municipal collective agreement for the education sector and general collective agreement for municipal personnel in the service of the Cities of

• Jyväskylä, Rovaniemi, Oulu and Turku April 6–7.
• Tampere and Kuopio April 12–13.
• Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen April 19–25.

The concerned employees include municipal employees in the early childhood education, basic education and upper secondary school teachers, principals, other supervisors, occupational safety and health representatives and shop stewards.

JUKO has also issued a ban on overtime and shift change, which concerns OAJ members working as municipal employees, employees covered by the general collective agreement for municipal personnel and municipal collective agreement for the education sector who are working in any tasks throughout Finland.

In addition, the work of fifteen private schools in Helsinki will be suspended for a week starting 19 April unless a solution is found for the private education sector before that.

You can check your own agreement here.

See here the Frequently asked questions regarding the ban on overtime and shift change.

If a strike or ban on overtime and shift change concerns you, you have already received more detailed instruction on the industrial action via e-mail. Follow OAJ’s bulletins, news on the OAJ website and the information channels of your local union branch.

Please make sure that your telephone number and e-mail address are up to date in OAJ’s membership information so that we can send you information about the industrial action. You can update your personal e-mail address in My profile here. Please use your personal telephone number and e-mail address as your contact information – not your work e-mail address – as your employer may prevent your from using your work e-mail address during the strike.

Why are only certain groups of teachers and/or localities going on strike?

Organisational preparedness activities have been carried out at OAJ for more than a year. The organisations have drawn up various plans and scenarios together in order to prepare for possible industrial action. Several options and different ways forward have been planned for the public sector strike. We are currently proceeding according to the common plan with JAU and JUKO.

The Council decides on the industrial action for OAJ members. The Council has also granted the organisation’s Executive Board the authority to decide to take industrial action. This authorisation allows the commencement of the first stage of industrial action on a smaller scale without the need to convene the entire Council to decide on the strike. The Council will decide whether to initiate more extensive industrial action.

Follow OAJ’s negotiation communications and you will be kept informed if the strike later expands to other locations or member groups.

I’ve been asked to act as a picket. What are my duties?

A picket prevents employees entering the workplace by talking. If someone nevertheless breaks the strike, the picket reports the breaking forward to the local management of their own association.
The picket communicates matters related to the strike. For example, the picket distributes flyers and informs external parties, such as the media, supporters and students, of the grounds for the strike and union objectives.

What does duties under the strike mean?

The central organisations have made a decision in principle concerning the approach towards an industrial action organised by another union. According to this decision, the members are encouraged to refuse to perform duties under the strike.

If another trade union is on strike, an OAJ member excluded from the industrial action does not have to perform duties under the strike, but only their own ordinary duties. It is not allowed to temporarily extend the scope of the duties excluded from the industrial action to include duties under the strike

What is a lockout? Is a lockout possible?

A lockout is a work stoppage target at the employees by the employer, which means that all work is stopped and salary payment discontinued. Lockouts are rare, but they have been used, for example, in the forest industry in recent years. Strike benefit is also paid during a lockout.

Will every OAJ member go on strike?/How will I know whether I’m in the scope of the strike?

If the strike is declared, it will include the following industrial actions:

In the first phase, the strikes concern OAJ members working under the municipal collective agreement for the education sector and general collective agreement for municipal personnel in the service of the Cities of Jyväskylä, Rovaniemi, Oulu, Turku, Tampere and Kuopio. The concerned employees include municipal employees in the early childhood education, basic education and upper secondary school teachers, principals, other supervisors, occupational safety and health representatives and shop stewards.

• Jyväskylä, Rovaniemi, Oulu and Turku April 6–7.
• Tampere and Kuopio April 12–13.
• Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen April 19–25.

In addition, the work of fifteen private schools in Helsinki will be suspended for a week starting 19 April unless a solution is found for the private education sector before that. 

JUKO has also issued a bans on overtime and shift change, which concern OAJ members working as municipal employees, employees covered by the general collective agreement for municipal personnel and municipal collective agreement for the education sector who are working in any tasks throughout Finland.

You can check your own agreement here.

See here the Frequently asked questions regarding the ban on overtime and shift change.

If a strike or ban on overtime and shift change concerns you, you have already received more detailed instruction on the industrial action via e-mail. Follow OAJ’s bulletins, news on the OAJ website and the information channels of your local union branch.

Please make sure that your telephone number and e-mail address are up to date in OAJ’s membership information so that we can send you information about the industrial action. You can update your personal e-mail address in My profile here. Please use your personal telephone number and e-mail address as your contact information – not your work e-mail address – as your employer may prevent your from using your work e-mail address during the strike.

Do I have to go on strike, if I don’t want to?

When OAJ and JUKO have made the decision to go on strike, every person who performs duties which fall within the scope of the industrial action is obligated to observe the union’s decision. It is important that everyone actively contributes to the achievement of our objectives both when included in the strike as well as when the employee’s own duties are excluded from the strike.

A strike must always be soundly based. Negotiations have been ongoing in the background for a long time and different alternatives have been considered. In this situation, the employee side was left with no other alternative but to start the industrial action. Trade union membership obligates individual members to act in accordance with their union’s strike decision.

The benefits achieved through an industrial action are usually visible in long term. At various times, different employees have been forced to ensure fair agreements through industrial actions. Everyone participates in industrial actions, each in their turn. This is a question of solidarity towards other employees.

How much is the strike benefit?

The OAJ Executive Board has set the strike benefit paid to OAJ members at EUR 180 per day in 2022.
During the industrial action, strike benefit will be paid for all the working days for which the employee is not paid by the employer. Strike benefit is also paid to SOOL and OSJ members who are on strike.

Why is my strike pay taxed about 50 %?

The strike pay exceeding 16 euros is taxable income. The withholding tax is carried out in accordance with the tax authorities’ instructions and OAJ reports the information directly to the tax authorities. The remaining 50% tax will be deducted according to the tax administration’s decision. The share to be paid to the member is 98 euros per day. The withholding tax is equalized in the final taxation according to the full-year earned income.

OAJ cannot elude the tax authorities instructions. So do not send your tax deduction card for the strike pay, but have your income tax card for pay recalculated.

For how long must I have been a member in order to be entitled to strike benefit?

You must have joined the union as a member well before the strike, but before issuing the strike notice, at the latest. Strike benefits are paid to new members only after the union fees are visible on the union’s account.

Instructions for applying strike pay will be given later.

Who will receive strike benefit?

Strike benefit is intended for those members who lose income due to the industrial action or lockout. Strike benefit is paid for actual losses. This means that if you are, for example, on study leave the whole spring, you cannot apply for strike benefit although all your colleagues were on strike at that time.

OAJ reimburses expenses caused by the industrial actions through a daily strike benefit. The benefit is also paid for weekend days, provided that the employer is not paying a salary to the employee during the strike. The union will ensure the participation in the strike from the local Industrial Action Committee and request statements on the income loss from its members after the strike, if necessary.

Am I entitled to strike benefit as a substitute?

If you have agreed on working as a substitute before the strike notice was issued and you take part in the industrial action, you are entitled to strike benefit. Strike benefit is also paid to SOOL and OSJ members who are on strike.

It is imperative that everyone participates in the strike. In connection with the potential industrial action, we will provide more detailed instructions to substitutes on how to apply for strike benefit.

Will I receive strike benefit if some of my union fees are not yet paid?

We will check your union fee payment situation when paying the strike benefit. If you have outstanding union fees, contact OAJ’s membership services using the contact form. You can also call the free service number at +358 800 418 401. The membership services will provide you with instructions for the payment of the union fees. If the amount of outstanding fees is high, a payment plan can be prepared.

A member participating strike imposed by the organisation may apply for strike pay at the earliest on the day following the end of the strike. 

For example members who participated the strike in Jyväskylä, Oulu, Turku and Rovaniemi may apply for strike pay from Friday April 8, 2022.

OAJ members apply for strike pay through the strike application. Logging in to the application takes place via My Profile.

Fill in the strike days on which you have participated the strike and the actual earnings loss has occurred. Also fill in the bank account number where you wish the strike pay to be paid to.

Illustrated instructions for the strike application and applying for strike pay:

• Application for strike pay, pdf
• Application for strike pay by mobile, pdf

Once you have read the instructions for the strike application you can apply for strike pay via the My Profile section.

The strike pay can be found on My Profile site left side menu after the strike. Scroll down the menu until you find the strike application.

Strike pay must be applied for within 6 months.

Members of SOOL and OSJ as well as members who are members of a non-strike association

Members of SOOL and OSJ fill in the enquiry form prior applying for strike pay. Also those OAJ members fill in the enquiry form who are members of an association in a locality other than the strike and cannot therefore fill in directly information on the application. You can access the enquiry form here.

After completing the enquiry form you still need to apply for strike pay on the strike application.

You can apply for strike pay once you have received an e-mail notice enabling the application.

Problems with the strike application?

If you have problems with the application, please use this enquiry form.

Is my employer allowed to ask if I intend to go on strike (i.e. try to find out whether I am union member)?

No they are not. Employers do not have the right to gather information about the union membership of individual employees to prepare for a strike. This concerns all members, supervisory positions included. Such enquiries will be interpreted as attempts to break the strike. The union will address every such attempt.

Can my employer forbid me from joining the strike?

No it cannot. It is a fundamental right. The union determines the limits of strike activity, in other words, the duties and places of work that the strike concerns.

Is it possible that I will lose my job for participating in the strike?

The employer does not have the right to terminate or cancel the employment relationship due to a so-called legal strike. However, a strike does not prevent the employee’s right to terminate an employment contract valid until further notice at any time.

If I am a member and we go on strike, can I get into personal trouble?

No you cannot. The union takes responsibility for the strike.
Up-to-date information about the status of negotiations in different agreement sectors can be found at OAJ neuvottelee-page in Finnish.

Can my employer obligate me to perform duties in advance in order to arrange teaching during the strike?

No, it cannot. The strike also covers pre- and post-strike work. Meaning, work related to the strike is not to be performed.

Will supervisors need to prepare a plan on how to run a school/day care center in the event of a strike?

No, that is not part of supervisors’ official duties.

Do teachers have to plan independent work for missed classes?

No.

Can a teacher be assigned to emergency work?

The employer determines the limits of emergency work and protection work but teaching, training or research cannot be defined as such.

What is emergency work?

Emergency work refers to work which is essential in order to prevent the endangering of the health and safety of citizens or to protect such property that would be especially endangered due to an industrial action.

The emergency work regulations only apply to civil servants. An employee in an employment relationship cannot be ordered to perform emergency work.

According to OAJ, work in the education, training and research field is not regarded as emergency work due to its nature.

Is it allowed to work for another employer or work as an entrepreneur during the strike?

It is allowed to perform work other than work included in the strike or practice entrepreneurial activities. During the strike, the employee is not allowed to perform work which is competing with the work of the employee’s own employer without the employer’s permission (principle of good faith), unless the employee has agreed otherwise with the employer (e.g. permission to practice a secondary occupation).

What happens to the fringe benefits and tools?

The employers is not obligated to offer salary-type fringe benefits, such as lunch benefit and recreational vouchers, during the strike. The right of use of company housing remains valid during the strike. The employee must, upon the employer’s request, hand over the employer’s tools, such as mobile phones and computers, to the employer.

Please make sure that your telephone number and e-mail address are up to date in OAJ’s membership information (My profile) so that we can send you information about the industrial action. You can update your personal e-mail address in your membership information here. Please use your personal telephone number and e-mail address as your contact information – not your work e-mail address – as your employer may prevent your from using your work e-mail address during industrial actions.

Are occupational health care services available during the strike?

If an employee has made an appointment at occupational health care prior a short strike, it is unlikely that the employer would deny the appointment during the strike. In the case of illnesses that began during the strike, the employer may deny the use of occupational health care services.

How does the strike affect a fixed-term employment relationship?

The strike will not have an impact on the length of a fixed-term employment relationship. A fixed-term employment contract always ends after the fixed term, unless the contracting parties expressly agree otherwise on the continuation of the employment relationship.

I’m on a trial period. Do I dare to participate in the strike?

When the trial period is valid in accordance with the employment contract, both parties are allowed to terminate or cancel the contract without any special reasons. However, the employer is not allowed, during the trial period and during the strike, to cancel the employment relationship for a reason which is discriminating or otherwise inappropriate in terms of the purpose of the trial period.

What is the impact of the strike on part-time work?

If, for example, you are on part-time pension or partial child care leave but no work assignments have been agreed for the days covered by strike, the strike will not affect you. If work has been agreed for the strike days, you are covered by the strike and are thus entitled to receive the strike benefit.

How does the strike affect maternity leave?

If maternity leave and the employer’s obligation to pay salary have begun before the strike was declared, the maternity leave salary will be also paid normally during the strike.

If maternity leave begins during the strike, the employer is not obligated to pay the maternity leave salary before the end of the strike. However, the paid part of the maternity leave will not decrease during the strike. Only the payment date of the salary will be postponed.

How does the strike affect sick leave?

If sick leave begins before the strike, the employer must pay a salary in accordance with the contract.
If an employee falls ill during the strike, the employee will receive sick pay only for the period after the strike if the illness persists. However, the employee is entitled to daily allowance under the health insurance.

How does the strike affect annual leave?

Annual leaves which have started before the strike will continue regardless of the strike and will end as marked on the annual leave rota. An employee who comes back to work after a holiday notifies the employer that their holiday has ended and that they are now on strike. Otherwise the absence can be interpreted as unauthorised.

If the annual leave begins during the strike, the annual leave is postponed. The employer will pay holiday allowance for the leave not taken, but the employer is not obliged to pay holiday bonus.

If the strike and annual leave begin at the same time, then the time of day is decisive. The annual leave beings at 00.00 hrs. According to strike warnings the strike will begin on strike days at 00.01. In this case the employee is on annual leave and not on strike. Winter holidays cannot be postponed over the end of April. In these cases the winter holiday will be paid as holiday allowance.

No annual leave is accumulated during the strike. The employee and employer can together agree on the postponing of the holiday.

Can I take annual holidays during the strike?

Employers do not have the right to postpone or interrupt any approved annual holidays on account of an industrial action.

What should I do if the strike begins during my winter holiday?

A winter holiday that begins before the strike will continue regardless of the strike and end in accordance with the approved holiday. An employee who comes back to work after a holiday notifies the employer that their holiday has ended and that they are now on strike. Otherwise the absence can be interpreted as unauthorized. Normal annual holiday pay is paid for annual holidays but the employer is not obligated to pay holiday bonus for winter holidays preceding a strike.

What should I do if my annual holiday begins during the strike?

If your approved annual holiday starts during the strike and the strike lasts too long for you to take the holiday, the holiday will be postponed. If the strike exceeds the end of the holiday season (30 April), you can agree with your employer to save the holidays for later (carried-over holiday). Alternatively, you can agree to take your winter holidays within a year from the end of the holiday season. If your employer refuses to let you save your winter holidays or take it later, the employer must pay holiday compensation.

How does the strike affect future job alteration leaves?

A prerequisite for job alteration leave is that the employee’s employment and employment relationship with the same employer have continued, without interruptions, at least for one year immediately preceding the start of job alteration leave. This period may include a maximum of 30 days of unpaid absence (e.g. strike days), provided that the employee has worked for the same employer at least 12 months within the last 13 months. If the job alteration leave applicant has had an unpaid absence of more than 30 days within the last 13 months, the employee is not entitled to the job alteration leave compensation (preliminary ruling of the Insurance Court 30 November 2000/8919:99).

How does the strike affect study leaves and unpaid leaves of absence?

The strike will not have an impact on the terms and conditions of an agreed study leave. Study leave is determined in accordance with the Study Leave Act and Decree. The strike will not have an impact on study leave or unpaid leave of absence that has already started or has been agreed on previously.

It is allowed to participate in a training during the strike?

If participation in vocational education and training or similar event taking place during the strike has been agreed on in advance, JUKO’s Central Industrial Action Committee may grant working permit for the duration of the training. In this case, the training must take place outside the workplace and must not include any performance of duties covered by the agreement scope, even for training purposes. You can get the contact details from your own shop steward. The employee must participate in the industrial action meetings arranged by JUKO and the unions in the normal way.

If the strike begins, will the work days be carried over to the summer period?

We do not see the possibility of postponing school days. Section 23 of the Basic Education Act lays out the following:

“Whenever, for a compelling reason, it has not been possible to arrange teaching on the statutory school days and the curricular objectives cannot be otherwise achieved, the lost school days shall be replaced by the addition of a maximum of six days to the annual number of school days.”

According to our interpretation, even a week's strike will not lead to a situation in which the objectives laid out in the curriculum are not achieved during the school year. For example, during the COVID-19 spring in 2020, no work days were added to teaching, even though interruptions and disturbances occurred. Thus, postponing work days would be considered an attempt to break the strike.

At the point when an agreement is made, it also includes a so-called strike termination agreement. As a part of this agreement , Juko will demand that the strike days are not transferred towards the summer break. This agreement overrides the policies of individual cities.

How does the strike affect leave periods?

Leave periods that have started before the strike will continue regardless of the strike and will end as agreed.

If the strike and a leave period start at the same time, hours and minutes are used as the deciding factor. A leave period starts at 00:00. According to the notices of strike, strikes start at 00:01 on strike days. In this case, the employee is on leave and not on strike.

If the leave period ends during a strike, the employer must be notified of the employee returning from leave and staying to participate in the strike. Otherwise, the absence may be interpreted as unauthorised.

If a leave period begins during a strike, the leave period is postponed.

In agreements concerning annual working time for vocational institutions under the municipal collective agreement for the education sector, the accrual of holiday bonuses is based on months, and the holiday bonuses are paid separately. The duration of a notice of strike has no effect on the accrual or payment of holiday bonuses.

For teaching staff of folk high schools, sports institutes and universities of applied sciences under annual working time agreements, holiday pay is included in the monthly salary, and therefore the strike has no impact on the accrual of holiday bonuses. The employer retains the salary for the period of participation in the strike, but the member is entitled to OAJ's strike benefit, which is EUR 180 per day.

Unpaid absences, such as those related to strikes, in vocational institutions in the private education sector reduce the salary for the next leave period (Sivasta’s collective agreement sector).

Can the employer postpone a working day that falls on a Saturday during the strike?

Saturday working days marked in the school-specific annual plan that coincide with the strike are considered work covered by the strike, which is not to be done.

A planning or training working day (opettajatyöpäivä) or teaching working day (oppilastyöpäivä) that coincides with the strike period is not postponed.

The working days planned for a Saturday may be, for example, planning or training working days or teaching working days, which would be replaced by days off during another teaching working day.

In the case that a planning or training working day or teaching working day as per the school-specific annual plan falls on a Saturday, the strike benefit is also paid to OAJ members for weekend days, provided that the employer is not paying a salary to the employee during the strike.

The employer may appoint a civil servant to participate in planning, training and the development of the working community in addition to the actual school days and other specified work obligations for a maximum of two days (maximum 12 hours) per school year. If the employer sees the need for an additional planning or teaching working day, separate compensation is to be paid accordingly. (Municipal collective agreement for the education sector, Section B 14, Opettajatyöpäivät, subsection 2.)

Does the strike affect the amount of pension?

The strike affects the amount of pension through the reduction of salary on which the pension is based. In a short industrial action, the impact is minor.

What is the impact of the strike on the partial early old-age pension?

The strike will have no effect on moving to old-age pension or partial early old-age pension. 

I'm a retired person working in education. Am I covered by the strike, and how does the strike affect my situation?

It is work that is placed on strike, not people. If you are a member of Retired Teachers in Finland, OSJ, you are obligated to participate in the strike and are entitled to receive strike benefit.

If you are not a member of OSJ, you may take part in the strike without being sanctioned by your employer. In this case, however, you are not entitled to receive the strike benefit.

Does the strike affect the occupational retirement age?

It does not.

Can a supervisor participate in the strike although they would be appointed as a representative of the employer?

If the union has made the strike decision, supervisors can participate in the strike pursuant to this decision. Supervisors can participate in the strike, although they were appointed as the employer’s representative. The employer cannot prohibit anyone from participating in the strike or exclude persons in charge from the industrial action in advance.

Will supervisors need to prepare a plan on how to run a school/day care center in the event of a strike?

No, that is not part of supervisors’ official duties.

What is the position of a shop steward and occupational safety and health representative during the strike?

As a rule, shop stewards and occupational safety and health representatives within the scope of the limits of strike will participate in the industrial action. JUKO and OAJ define the limits of strike.
Shop stewards also takes care of matters related to the employee relationship of an individual member during the industrial action. It should be noted that the employer might not pay any compensation for this period.

What will happen if a member does not participate in an industrial action organised by the union?

A person who is within the scope of the strike and performs work under the strike or a person who is excluded from the strike but performs work under the strike that is not covered by their job description is breaking the industrial action.

The membership of a person who has acted against the union’s decision during an industrial action may be terminated and they may be subject to a significant waiting period during which they cannot reinstate their membership in the union.

Can I cancel my membership in OAJ on the occasion of a strike, and reinstate it after the strike is over?

OAJ closely tracks of changes in membership during industrial action. If a member cancels their membership at the end of a collective agreement period or upon learning of a strike notice and returns after the industrial action as a member, the member is placed under a waiting period. They can reinstate their membership only after the waiting period. OAJ processes each case separately and clarifies currently valid memberships.

I’m not a member of OAJ, can I/do I have to go on strike?

It is work that is placed on strike, not people. A non-unionised employee may take part in a strike without being sanctioned by their employer. Strike benefits, however, are only paid to members of OAJ.

What should a non-unionised employee do during the strike?

Strike results benefit all employees, also non-unionised ones. They can take part in the strike, but are not entitled to strike benefit. In accordance with the principle of neutrality, employees not belonging to the organisation arranging the strike or employees belonging to the organisation whose duties are not covered by the strike are not obligated to perform duties which fall within the scope of the industrial action.

However, they have the legal right to refuse to perform work under the strike which they do not usually perform (e.g. section 12 of the Municipal Civil-servant Collective Agreements Act). This is also expected from them by the strikers as well as their organisation.

How will the salary arrears be due during the strike?

The strike will not have an impact on the due dates of salary arrears. If an employee has salary arrears which fall due during the strike, they will be paid on the due date. If the payment is delayed, the payment is subject to interest pursuant to the Interest Act. This only applies to receivables accumulated before the strike which fall due during the strike. Naturally, no salary is paid during the strike.

How does COVID-19 affect industrial actions?

OAJ closely monitors the instructions issued by the social and healthcare authorities and employers. All actions are taken while ensuring the safety of the members. The agreement negotiations concern the agreement terms and conditions and income level of the education, training and research sectors, the effects of which will be felt over a number of years.

How will the strike affect me if I am abroad with pupils/students?

The scope of the industrial action is explained in the strike notice. It details the duties included in and excluded from the strike. We are aware that many camps and school trips in Finland and abroad have been planned for March–May. These will be taken into account in the planning of the strike.

Am I allowed to travel abroad during the strike?

The strike may end abruptly at very short notice. As an employee, you are obligated to be available to your employer immediately after the strike ends.