News / 05.03.2025

Film and TV Production workers to strike– employer aims for pay increase well below the standard benchmark

Film and television production workers in Finland will go on strike on Saturday, 8 March. The existing ban on overtime and additional work hours will remain in place. Members of the UJF and the Union for Theatre and Media (Teme) will not report to work.

Negotiations between the UJF and employers' association Palta at the Office of the National Conciliator on Wednesday, 5 March, failed to resolve the ongoing labour dispute. Palta rejected a previous compromise proposal submitted on Monday.

Today's conciliation talks focused specifically on wage negotiations. UJF head of advocacy Petri Savolainen accused Palta of seeking pay increases significantly below the established benchmark.

“The employers' proposal for future increases to the pay scale would be more than two percentage points below the general rate, with the overall pay increase impact nearly one percentage point under the benchmark. This is simply unacceptable,” said Savolainen.

He expressed particular frustration with Palta's communication strategies, which he claims are attempting to undermine the strike by encouraging workers to attend work on the designated strike day (see link, in Finnish).

“Every single worker in the film and television industry has the right to demand and pursue more humane working conditions. The employer has no authority to question who will work on the day of the strike.”


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