Appendix 4 - Training agreement

1 § Training workgroup

A training workgroup with two representatives designated by each party is established for the implementation of the trade union training referred to in the agreement.

The training workgroup approves courses for one calendar year at a time. Courses can also be approved mid-year if necessary.

Before the decision is taken to accept a course, the training workgroup shall be provided with a report on the syllabus, time, place, target group, and participants, as well as any other information requested by the training workgroup. A precondition for the approval of a course is a jointly identified training requirement. The training workgroup is entitled to monitor teaching in courses it has approved.

The unions shall provide information on the courses approved by the training workgroup for the following year no later than two months before the beginning of the first course.

2 § Professional advanced training, supplementary training, and retraining

The employer will enable the employee to participate, when necessary, in annual training to maintain and develop his or her professional skills. The training needs of the employee can be assessed, for instance, in development discussions between the employer and the employee.

When the employer provides an employee with professional training or sends an employee to training events associated with his or her profession, the costs of the training and the loss of earnings for regular working hours shall be subject to compensation. If training takes place outside working hours, the time spent shall not be considered working hours but the employee will be compensated for any direct costs.

3 § Joint training

The purpose of joint training in the workplace is to promote the implementation of, among other elements, legislative specifications on co-operation, occupational safety, occupational health care, and equality in the workplace. Joint training will be delivered and agreed on through the workplace-specific co-operation body or, if no such body exists, between the employer and the shop steward (or, if there is none, employers).

Basic courses in occupational safety co-operation, and advanced courses that are necessary as regards co-operation in occupational safety, constitute joint training as referred to here.

Participation in training is compensated for in accordance with the training provisions referred to in Section 2.

4 § Trade union training

1. Preservation of employment and notification times

Without interrupting his or her term of employment, an employee shall have the opportunity to participate in a course approved by the training workgroup and lasting no more than one month if the need for training has been jointly identified by the employer and employee and participation in the course can take place without causing any substantial problems to the enterprise.

Should such training leave be refused, the shop steward shall be notified no later than 10 days before the beginning of the course as to why granting the leave would cause substantial problems.

Notification of the intention to participate in a course must be provided as early as possible. If the course lasts no more than one week, notification must be provided at least three weeks before the beginning of the course. If the course is longer, notification must be provided at least six weeks before the beginning of the course.

Training concerning occupational safety and health should be directed particularly at occupational safety and health representatives.

2. Compensation

The shop steward, deputy shop steward, occupational safety and health representative, and members of the occupational safety committee may participate in courses approved by the training workgroup and referred to in the previous paragraph, without salary reductions. However, loss of earnings is not compensated for periods longer than one month for shop stewards or two weeks for others. A precondition for the compensation for loss of earnings is that the course in question be related to the participant’s co-operation tasks in the enterprise.

In addition to shop stewards, compensation for loss of earnings will also be paid to chairpersons of registered affiliated associations of the union or local branches if they work in an enterprise with at least 100 employees and the registered affiliated association or local branch has at least 20 members.

A local agreement can be made on compensation for time spent in training with regular pay if a shop steward participates in training for shop stewards outside regular working hours. The amount and content of training are subject to separate agreement between the unions. The training must constitute an alternative to training held during regular working hours.

5 § Social benefit

Participation in a trade union training event referred to in Section 4 will not cause any decrease in annual holiday, pension, or comparable benefits.

6 § Period of validity

This agreement shall become valid on 1 January 2010 and remain valid until further notice, served three months in advance.

Helsinki, 12 January 2010

THE FEDERATION OF FINNISH TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES

FEDERATION OF SPECIAL SERVICE AND CLERICAL EMPLOYEES ERTO