Food industry workers have achieved new collective agreements. All strikes have been cancelled and the ban on overtime and shift changes has ended.

On 14 April 2025, the Finnish Food Workers’ Union SEL and the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation ETL approved new collective agreements for all food industry workers, which are valid from 14 April 2025 to 31 January 2028.

SEL council approved by a vote of 20–13 the fourth settlement proposal made by the National Conciliator.

The wages of all food industry workers will increase by a total of 7.8 percent over three years:

• 2.5% from 1 June 2025 or the beginning of the pay period immediately thereafter

• 2.9% from 1 May 2026 or the beginning of the pay period immediately thereafter

• 2.4% from 1 May 2027 or the beginning of the pay period immediately thereafter

The wage increases are general increases which do not include company-specific amounts.

The collective agreement for bakery workers now includes a 100% supplement for night work for all employees. The collective agreement for bakery workers also now includes two new working time models, the implementation of which can be agreed locally in bakeries if both parties want to. The first seniority supplement and the free time compensation for Saturday work were deleted from the collective agreement for bakery workers, and the Saturday work bonus was cut.

– We were able to prevent employers from increasing their unilateral control over the working hours of bakery workers, thanks to the support and readiness of our members to go on strike. We started the negotiations from a very difficult starting point, when the Orpo government repealed the Bakery Labour Act and taken away the 100% night supplement from the shift workers. Accepting this solution was a difficult matter for us and it will remain painful for years, says SEL Chairperson Veli-Matti Kuntonen.

The other new collective agreements for food industry workers did not include any weakening.