It is not clear to all caregivers what was finally agreed upon in the negotiations. However, many praise the salary solutions that have been made and the return of labor peace.
Nurses in different parts of Finland are both confused and happy about the proposal to settle the labor dispute in the nursing sector.
Yle asked nurses in different parts of Finland what they think about the agreement created on Monday.
– Well, it was a relief for all of us. In the morning and yesterday, we chatted with colleagues and everyone was of the opinion that it’s wonderful that this is now over and that an agreement has been reached for caregivers and the entire social security sector.
Alavesa describes the last year in the care industry as shocking.
– Many co-workers have resigned from the departments, because the flexibility has already been seen to the end. It won’t last anymore, says Alavesa.
– I hope we haven’t been cheated. It’s really confusing, and my colleagues have the same feeling. The bottom has started from the feeling it had yesterday, says Rosenqvist.
Peace of mind is fine
– Finally, some sort of labor peace was achieved. Solutions that support enjoyment at work are the most important to me, says Häkkinen.
He also works as a regional councilor.
– I make other things more important than salary. Money is essential in that the current wages do not get new employees and thus the working conditions, says Häkkinen.
– This gives us hope that we will continue to be here working in line. Next, we have to take the other things that are wrong in the field and start solving them little by little, says Sammalisto, who works at the Central Hospital of North Karelia.
Uncertainty hangs in the air
Lifländer, who works in the neonatal intensive care unit, says that he feels better.
– Probably quite in many ways. Layoffs have been ahead, and this has been stressful for the employees in many ways, says Lifländer.
– But this does bring hope, a certain joy and gratitude to our strikers and leaders, Kekäläinen states.
– I am saddened by society’s appreciation of us nurses. It was not seen how necessary we will be in the future.
\”A permanent blow to the attractiveness of the industry\”
The students of the field are relieved by the agreement.
– When the corona crisis was at its worst, we were praised in every speech and houses were lit up. But when we asked for concrete things, the lights were turned off and they wanted to silence us. The discrepancy between words and actions is so huge that I think the attraction of the industry has experienced a permanent crash, says Mäyrälä.
– Of course, the most important thing is that the motivation may now increase a little in studies. There has been a bit of discussion about whether it is worth continuing these studies when there has been this labor dispute.
– Feeling more hopeful. There is still some uncertainty. I’m looking forward to what the end result will be when translated into plain Finnish for us ordinary citizens, says Isomäki.