Finland Chamber of Commerce: Protecting employees from exploitation is a necessary reform

“It is essential that employee exploitation, extortion and human trafficking are tackled with tough measures. This is serious crime that distorts competition and undermines trust in the labour market. Employers who operate honestly deserve a labour market where dishonesty is not a competitive advantage”, says Suvi Pulkkinen, Senior Advisor at the Finland Chamber of Commerce.

Exploitation often targets workers who are already in a vulnerable position. For this reason, the new criminal provisions are a significant and necessary step towards a labour market where workers with an immigrant background cannot be exploited and where honest business practices are the only path to success.

Stronger supervision and sufficient resources are needed

The Finland Chamber of Commerce stresses that, alongside the new criminal provisions, stronger supervision and sufficient resources for authorities are needed to ensure abuses are identified earlier.

“The vast majority of companies operate honestly and take responsible care of their employees. Business based on the exploitation of workers is not legitimate business at all. Authorities must have the tools to intervene at an early stage, and enforcement must be targeted at those who break the rules,” Pulkkinen says.

The Finland Chamber of Commerce emphasizes that work-related exploitation cannot be eradicated by weakening the position of foreign nationals in Finland. On the contrary, recent Government decisions to tighten immigration policy – such as the three-month exit rule, cuts to integration services, and higher income thresholds for family reunification – all increase the risk that workers become even more dependent on their employer and weaken their ability to defend their rights.

“Exploitation of workers must be addressed with tough measures. At the same time, the position of foreign employees in Finland must be strengthened through other means, so that they are not entirely dependent on their employer”, Pulkkinen says.