CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the Government’s report for the period ending in May 2005, as well as the comments of the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) and the Commission for Local Authority Employers (KT), which were transmitted with the report.

1. Organization of the employment service. In reply to the Committee’s previous direct request, as well as earlier comments formulated by the SAK and the STTK, the Government indicates that a staff member of the employment service provides service on average to 150 unemployed jobseekers. It is assumed that this figure refers to annual output. The Government also points out that this ratio has been improving in recent years and that a key part of its employment policy programme is the reform of the public employment service to be carried out in 2004-06, which also includes a considerable increase in resources. The Government indicates that the number of labour service centres or joint service offices has increased from 29 in 2004 to 34 in 2005 and should reach 40 centres in 2006, while 280 new posts will be established in the labour administration. It further explains that the labour administration personnel benefit from adequate training since all labour policy reforms carried out in recent years have been complemented by comprehensive training on a national, regional and local level. It also indicates that new Acts on public employment services were enacted in 2003 and 2005, amending entirely the former legislation on the services, support and benefits provided by the labour authorities. The new legislation provides that the task of the labour authorities is to provide employment services, labour market training and other professional development services, as well as to provide possibilities for subsidized employment for unemployed persons. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of the outcome of its reform of the public employment service, with a view to achieving the best possible organization of the employment market and to meeting the changing requirements of the economy and the working population (Article 1 of the Convention).

2. Cooperation of the social partners. In reply to the Committee’s previous direct request, the Government indicates that, while there have been no initiatives so far aimed at establishing regional tripartite committees, there are, alongside the local employment offices, labour committees whose tasks are statutory. These committees, which are tripartite, issue labour policy statements on the rights of individual unemployed persons to receive unemployment benefits and also operate as expert bodies on the development of local labour market issues and public employment services. The Committee notes that, while the STTK considers that the social partners were completely overlooked in the drafting of the reform of the public employment service and that various issues had not been discussed in advisory committees, the SAK for its part has expressed concern over inadequate resources for the labour administration. In view of the above, the Committee invites the Government to keep providing information on the active cooperation of representatives of employers and workers in the organization and the operation of the employment service, and in the development of employment service policy (Articles 4 and 5).