National Conciliator's Office
The National Conciliator and the Conciliators assist the negotiating partners in the conciliation of labour disputes if a collective agreement cannot be reached without outside help. The central labour market organisations can also be assisted by the National Conciliator when drawing up comprehensive incomes policy agreements.
The arbitration system is based on Act on Mediation in Labour Disputes.
The collective bargaining system consists of three components:
· the activities of the labour market organisations
· the labour dispute conciliation system
· the Labour Court.
The labour market organisations have a key role in the collective bargaining system. They are responsible for negotiating and making collective agreements. The Labour Court is the highest instance for the settlement of disputes arising from issues including valid collective agreements.
It is compulsory to participate in the mediation of labour disputes: Finland has a system of compulsory conciliation, but the settlement of labour disputes is not compulsory. The parties to a dispute do not have to accept the Conciliator’s proposal.
The appropriate Conciliator and the other party must be informed of the beginning or extension of a work stoppage due to a labour dispute no later than two weeks before the beginning or extension. This obligation only applies to interest disputes as legal conflicts must always be settled by the Labour Court, general courts or arbitrators.
Contact information:
The National Conciliator's Office
PO Box 345
Bulevardi 6A
00121 Helsinki
National: (09) 2525 3500
International: +358 9 2525 3500
Fax
National: (09) 2525 3520
International: +358 9 2525 3520
