The Central Chamber of Commerce issued a statement on Monday regarding the ongoing labor market crisis in response to a message from its CEO, Juho Romakkaniemi, which had upset the AKT union. This was an unusual move for the chamber, as they typically remain silent in labor market disputes.
The disagreement began when Romakkaniemi urged members of the SAK (Finnish Confederation of Trade Unions) to resign from their union and join the General Unemployment Fund instead. This prompted a reaction from Ismo Kokko of the AKT union, who announced the termination of banking cooperation with the OP Group, where Romakkaniemi is connected as CEO. Kokko suggested that Romakkaniemi was being instructed by Timo Ritakallio, CEO of the OP Group and chairman of the Central Chamber of Commerce.
In response to this controversy, the board of the Central Chamber of Commerce emphasized the importance of respecting employees’ statutory rights and freedoms when it comes to union membership. They also stressed the need for a culture of agreement in order to move forward constructively in the labor market. While they did not directly address Kokko’s accusations against Ritakallio or Romakkaniemi’s message about joining unions, they indicated a desire to find solutions that benefit both parties involved and support economic growth.
Ritakallio commented on the situation, highlighting
