Tehy’s key task is to negotiate the collective agreements for the sector. The terms of employment are laid down in the collective agreement.

The collective agreement or TES (työehtosopimus) determines the terms under which you will be working for the next couple of years. Wages, bonuses, shifts, holidays and so on are agreed in the collective agreement. The collective agreement applied at your workplace must be mentioned in your employment contract.

Tehy negotiates the terms of employment at regular intervals with the employers’ associations, and sometimes with individual companies. This period is referred to as collective bargaining. A collective agreement is reached at the end of the negotiations. This agreement is made for a fixed period of time, the collective agreement period. Nearly all members of Tehy are covered by a national collective agreement either in the private or public sector.

A collective agreement determines minimum terms regarding matters such as

If you are not a member of Tehy yet, join now. We have the power to make a change!
 

View the collective agreement and negotiations outcome of your sector

You can read your own collective agreement in Finnish. If you do not know which collective agreement is applied to your employment, you can check your employment contract or ask your union representative.

Why the collective agreement is important

Did you know that there are no legal requirements for a minimum wage, for example? Minimum wage is determined in the collective agreement. 

The collective agreement determines the minimum terms for the sector, and it is prohibited to pay wages below the minimum wage. When Tehy negotiates for the terms of employment for the entire sector, individual employees do not need to negotiate with their employer. The collective agreement usually guarantees better terms of employment than what an individual employee could negotiate on their own.
 

We provide advice on terms of employment

Advice on any questions or issues related to employment is available to Tehy members. It is a service that you do not have access to anywhere else! We know the collective agreements in our sector inside out. 
 

Employment advice at your side
Mies

Become a member of Tehy

We are a community that provides security, but also joy and energy. The union representative and Tehy experts will help you with any questions about your employment. You will have access to free legal aid and other wonderful member benefits, such as necessary occupational insurance!

Yes, I would like to become a member of Tehy