Working at University

Laws, statutes and the collective labour agreement regulate work also in universities. Tatte and FUURT oversee their members’ interests in these matters. The goal is to guarantee the university’s employees a task-based pay, permanent employment and a chance to act as a fully-fledged member of the university community. Tatte also oversees the interests of researchers working on grant money. All university employees must be guaranteed an equal position irrespective of the nature of their employment, its length or funding. We actively work to guarantee that all unemployed researchers have the same rights as all other unemployed wage earners.

Role of the shop steward

Shop stewards both oversee the application of the collective labour agreement and negotiate with the employer over its practical solutions. Their role is to help the unionized employees in all issues relating to employment. When something is unclear or otherwise problematic, turn to your shop steward. Contacting does not here mean going public with the issue or commencing negotiations with the employer. Tatte’s shop stewards are members of the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals.

Salary and working time

According to the university salary system, an employee’s salary is based on competency required by the task and personal performance. The competency required by the task is confirmed by evaluation groups consisting of both employer and employee representatives. There are two evaluation groups, one for teaching and research staff and one for other staff. Tatte has representatives in both.

Starting from August 2010, the total working time system applies also to researchers. It has been previously applied to teachers, (senior) assistants, lecturers and professors. The system states that the yearly working time is 1,600 hours. In the total working time system, the following of personal performance is based on work results and on not daily or monthly follow-ups. However, researchers who have outside funding and have to report to some other parties outside the university still have to allocate their time once a month.

Those who work within the total working time system make a yearly work plan in coordination with their employer. The monthly calculated working time is 133 hours. This is less than before because it has been calculated equally on every month.  In practice, researchers who allocate their working time due to funding or reporting, notch up extra hours each month so that enough days off accumulate for a longer vacation.

In the total working time system, employees do not apply for a vacation but simply arrange it with their employer. Holiday bonuses are paid based on the calculated vacation time. The membership pages have more information on the rewarding system, working time, commuting expenses, daily benefits etc. There you can find also detailed information on the rules concerning the collective labour agreement.

Occupational safety

In occupational safety issues, Tatte relies on the services of occupational safety delegates. Occupational safety delegate can be contacted in all issues concerning either physical or mental occupational safety. Both the occupational safety delegate and Occupational Safety Committee are statutory bodies. The Committee, in which Tatte has a representative, handles issues that relate to work environment safety, occupational health, ability, and equality. It has an annually approved strategy.