The travel bill of Leevi Hapala, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, will not lead to sanctions. According to Kimmo Levä, Director General of the National Gallery, the “mistake” has been corrected.
Read the news from Yle here: IS: Kiasma director Leevi Haapala tried to pay for his wife’s accommodation at the National Gallery
– Yes, it is, says Levä.
Levä is the first person in charge of all museum directors at the National Gallery. He first drew attention to Hapala’s travel bill when it came to him for approval.
– I noticed then that the travel bill includes my spouse’s travel expenses. At that point, they intervened and collected the erroneously invoiced (expenses). We corrected that incorrect invoice, says Levä.
He doesn’t remember exactly when this happened.
– After the summer, as I recall in the fall, says Levä.
He says that after processing Haapala’s travel invoice, the National Gallery clarified its own travel rules.
– Matters related to the spouse’s travels were not precisely defined in it previously. We also refined the rule in terms of how a business trip and a vacation trip can be combined.
To the question about what kind of sanctions Haapala will face for Haapala’s questionable travel invoice, Levä answers:
– The errors have been corrected as such. The expenses that were incorrectly invoiced have been invoiced, Levä states.
How did Haapala justify this travel bill to you?
– By inattention, Levä says.
Read Yle’s story here: More than 40 artists refuse to cooperate with Kiasma because of \”Poju\” Zabludowicz – museum director: \”We cannot boycott a private citizen\”
In addition to Kiasma, the National Gallery includes two other museums: Ateneum and Sinebrychoff Art Museum.
National Gallery staff dissatisfied
Ilta-Sanomat also reported in its story that there have been problems with the working atmosphere at the National Gallery: according to the staff, there has been a \”considerable amount\” of bullying, harassment and inappropriate behavior.
According to IS, the issue was mentioned at the Kansallisgalleria’s board meeting in May.
Levä says that the National Gallery conducts an extensive personnel survey once a year.
– This year, I specifically conducted research related to this bullying and inappropriate behavior, Levä states.
According to Levä, the results of the studies in question also came to the board’s table, when the results were discussed in the National Gallery.
– Based on the results, staff satisfaction is still at a high level, but the direction has been wrong. The results have gotten worse year by year, and corrective measures are now being taken.
According to Levä, the general reason for the increase in staff dissatisfaction has been the corona pandemic. Museums were completely closed for long periods of time.
In addition, according to Levä, the ongoing renovation of Ateneum and the already finished renovation of Kiasma have caused \”quite a lot of work arrangements\”.
– They have been difficult for the staff and we have also had layoffs. These have obviously decreased job satisfaction, Levä states.
Regarding the alleged bullying in the National Gallery, Levä states:
– Nothing serious, mostly inappropriate behavior. I believe there are cases of that type in quite a few organizations, and also in ours.
According to Levä, no personnel group at the National Gallery stood out in the results.
According to Levä, the Kansallisgalleria has implemented the \”Let’s be people\” model, which pays attention to how the work is done at the Kansallisgalleria.
– We also emphasize training and, of course, this kind of joint post-corona activities.