INFORMATION POINT ON FINNISH WORKING LIFE
OUR
FUNCTION AND PURPOSE
The Finnish Working Life Information Point in
Tallinn
provides information and advice about working in Finland. The Information Point provides basic details of
Finnish wage levels, taxation, terms of employment and
labour legislation, and explains the services of trade
unions and the principles of trade unionism in the
Nordic countries. Union members are entitled to support
from the union, for example when problems arise at the
workplace.
There
are many significant differences between the Finnish and
Estonian labour markets and the labour laws of these two
countries. It is easier to manage in working life if you
already know about conditions in
Finland
before you arrive. By providing reliable and impartial
information we also help to prevent exploitation of
migrant workers and other problems of irregular
employment in the grey economy.
OUR
WORK
The staff of the Information Point advise prospective
migrant workers free of charge in the Estonian or
Russian languages, help them to find information through
the Internet, and provide brochures and other
information materials on Finnish working life and on the
activities of trade unions. Visitors to the Information
Point website can also request advice by completing a
feedback form.
The Information Point arranges seminars, information
days and special events dealing with current issues in
Finnish working life and international labour mobility.
It also works with labour market organisations, public
authorities, foreign embassies, journalists, researchers
and NGOs with a view to strengthening co-operation
between
Finland
and Estonia. The experiences gained in operating the
Information Point are reported to colleagues in
Finland
and the other Nordic countries, Estonia
and Central Europe
.
PLEASE
NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION POINT IS NOT AN EMPLOYMENT
AGENCY!
OUR
STAFF
Project
Manager Eve Kyntäjä is responsible for management,
planning, co-ordination and public relations at the
Information Point. Eve Kyntäjä is an Estonian-born
psychologist working in both
Helsinki
and Tallinn. Project Assistant Tytti Jäppinen is based in Helsinki. Two Estonian advisors, Marje Soon and Kalev
Liibert, work at the Information Point in Tallinn.
HOW THE INFORMATION POINT WAS ESTABLISHED
The Information Point was originally set up in 2002 as
part of a project to improve co-operation between the
Finnish and Estonian labour markets. This project was
financed by the European Union Interreg IIIA programme,
which ended on 31 July 2005. The partners in the project
were the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions
– SAK and its affiliated trade unions, the Finnish
Union of Salaried Employees – TU and the Confederation
of Estonian Trade Unions – EAKL.
The Information Point proved to be a highly popular
initiative in Estonia, advising thousands of people over the years. The
seminars, information days and special events arranged
by the Information Point have been very well attended,
and the project has published various bulletins and
information materials. European Union enlargement has
brought new challenges concerning such matters as
transition legislation, free mobility of services and
leased labour. A pressing need for advice and
information remains. The Information Point project in
Tallinn has now been extended until the end of 2008 with
financial support from the Central Organisation of
Finnish Trade Unions – SAK and its affiliates and from the Finnish
Union of Salaried Employees – TU.
Info
Point has won an award from the European Commission as
part of the European Year of Workers' Mobility. The
winners had significantly promoted labour mobility
during 2006.
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