Food workers will be paid a one-time payment of € 400 in May

The one-time payment of € 400 agreed in the food industry workers’ new collective agreements will be paid in May with wage payments.

The amount of the one-time payment agreed on in the new collective agreements between the Finnish Food Workers’ Union SEL and the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation ETL is € 400, and it will be paid in May 2023 in connection with wage payments. If an employee has more than one pay day in May, the employer will notify well ahead of time the pay day on which the one-time payment will be paid.

The employer must notify when the one-time payment will be paid at least one week before the first pay day of May. If there are several pay days in May, the first one being 1 May 2023, for example, the employer must notify the pay day of the one-time payment at least one week in advance, even if the one-time payment was to be paid on the final pay day of May.

The payment of the one-time payment in two or more instalments cannot be agreed on locally.

The one-time payment will be paid only to those employees whose uninterrupted employment relationship has commenced no later than on 1 February 2023 and is valid on the pay day of the one-time payment, and who are paid salary on that pay day.

If the employment relationship has ended after 1 February 2023 and continues with no working days in between, the employee is paid the one-time payment as a rule but the payment should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

For a part-time employee, the amount of the one-time payment will be calculated and paid in proportion to the agreed on working hours and full working hours.

For employees who are called to work as needed, the amount of the one-time payment will be calculated and paid in proportion to the working hours in February–April 2023 and full working hours.

The one-time payment will not be paid if the employee has resigned before the pay day of the one-time payment.

In addition to the one-time payment of € 400 that is paid in May, the wages and salaries of all food industry workers will be increased by a general rate of 3.5% on 1 June 2023 or from the beginning of the pay period starting after that.


If you have questions about the one-time payment or other working conditions, the shop steward of your workplace will help you. You can also call the union’s number 09 4246 1200.

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