Public services keep Finland running every hour of the day. That is why we must safeguard the well-being and rights of public sector workers and ensure that they have the resources and conditions needed to do their jobs well, writes Jonna Voima, President of Trade Union Jyty.
Today, June 23, marks United Nations Public Service Day. In connection with the theme day, trade unions and workers across Europe are sending a stark message: in many countries, public services are in a state of emergency.
The message applies to Finland as well.
The public sector is under heavy pressure. Municipalities and wellbeing services counties are repeatedly conducting co-operation negotiations, service networks are being cut back, and finances are being balanced through cuts. At the same time, more is being expected of workers than ever before.
While public services have been required to do more with fewer resources, workers’ opportunities to influence their work have also been restricted. During this government term, the activities of trade unions have been restricted in Finland, and the rules governing labour relations have been changed in an unprecedented way.
This is an alarming development. Trade unions are an important part of the democratic system. When workers’ voices are weakened, the foundations of a just and sustainable society are also undermined.
Yet all too often, the discussion about public services is reduced to costs. In reality, this is about an investment in safety, equality and society’s ability to function.
Public sector workers are the backbone of our society. Through their work, they ensure that the services our society relies on function every day of the year, around the clock.
When an ambulance arrives in a moment of need, it is backed by a finely tuned chain involving many professionals. When a day-care centre opens its doors in the morning, a library serves the public, or a youth worker meets a young person in need of support, society is functioning — even if we do not always notice it. When fire and rescue services, employment services, schools, cultural services, parishes or organisations serve people, it is the expertise and commitment of their employees that sustain the entire system. The impact always extends beyond the individual receiving the service.
Yet all too often, the discussion about public services is reduced to costs.
In reality, this is about an investment in safety, equality and society’s ability to function. Public services are not merely an expense. They are part of Finland’s well-being, resilience and stability — and, I would even argue, its happiness.
Well-functioning services require adequate funding, long-term decision-making and, above all, people.
That is why, when discussing the future of public services, we must also talk about the position of workers: well-being at work, pay, sufficient staffing, skills development, and the opportunity to do their work to a high standard. If these issues are neglected, the services themselves will ultimately be at risk.
Jyty’s message to current and future decision-makers is that a strong public sector provides security. It is not just an administrative structure, but the foundation on which people’s daily lives are built.
Today, on UN Public Service Day, we want to remind decision-makers that Finnish society does not run around the clock on its own. It runs because hundreds of thousands of professionals do their work every day and every night — 24 hours a day.
Our task is to ensure their well-being at work.
AI was used to assist with the English translation.