This is a protocol based on negotiations between the Ministry of Education and the Public Sector Negotiating Commission (JUKO), the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) and the Confederation of State Employees (Pardia) concerning the specified collective agreement on or about the new salary system to be introduced in universities from the 1^st of December 2005. 

The parties to the agreement have agreed on:

1 §   Content of the signed protocol
The parties have agreed upon some of the issues concerning the introduction and application of the new salary system as outlined in the specified collective agreement x.xx 2006 as follows in this protocol and the appendices.

2 §   The job demands assessment systems and the principles concerning the assessments
The application of the regulations is based on two assessment systems, as follows

1. the assessment system for teaching and research staff (Appendix 1)
2. the assessment system for general staff (Appendix 2)

The job demands assessment system for teaching and research staff is applied to staff working on teaching or research tasks, regardless of their classification.  The tasks assessed in, or by, this system should be focussed on both scholarly research and the management of  scholarly research, or on teaching based on research which will lead to a university degree and supervising student dissertations which are part of the degree.

A teaching and research employee whose set of tasks changes during an assessment period by virtue of their election to a position of trust which includes a higher load of administrative work (e.g. heads of department, deans, vice-rectors) will continue to be assessed according to the teaching and research assessment system.

The assessment system for teaching and research staff is also to be applied to students employed to undertake teaching duties at the same time as they are completing their own studies.

The decision about which assessment system is to be used is made by the employer, according to criteria mentioned above.   If there is a dispute concerning the choice of system, the employer must hold discussions with a representative of the relevant union before a final decision is taken.  The choice of assessment system will not have any effect on the systems used to establish an employee’s hours of work and annual leave.

The job demand levels are specified as follows in

Appendix 1) Job Demands Chart for Teaching and Research Staff and

Appendix 2)   Job Demands Chart for General Staff.

In addition to the general job demands chart for teaching and research staff, there is a separate job demands chart for teaching and research staff employed within the creative and performing disciplines (see Appendix 1).  When establishing the job demands level, the most appropriate chart should be selected. For example, for professors in the creative and performing arts, the emphasis is more likely to be on undergraduate teaching than on research student supervision.

3 §   Assessment of job demands
The job demands level is assessed according to the job description and follows the appropriate assessment system.

The job demands level will be reassessed if from the supervisor’s point of view the job has changed in such a way that a new assessment is required to clarify whether or not the job demands level should be revised.  The employee or his/her union representative can also request a reassessment.

The assessment procedures for teaching and research staff may vary between universities.   The assessment procedures used at each university should be discussed with the union representatives representing the staff group in question.  Assistance sought from expert groups consisting of several persons can be used when undertaking the assessment.

4 §   Assessment of personal performance
The personal performance assessment of teaching and research staff should be undertaken according to the assessment system outlined in Appendix 3.

The personal performance assessment of general staff should be performed according to the assessment system outlined in Appendix 4.

5 §   Assessment groups
In each university there are two assessment groups, comprising representatives of both the employer and employees.   The assessment groups assess the job demands of teaching and research staff and general staff, respectively. 

The assessment groups will deal with assessments of job demands levels at least once a year, and express an opinion as to the assessments.  The groups will deal with the assessment of job demands and make their suggestions about demand level if there is a dispute between the employee and his/her supervisor, or any other representative of the employer who has made the assessment, or when the proposition for job demand level varies markedly from other employees undertaking similar work.

The university appoints the employer’s representatives and their alternates to these assessment groups.   The organisations who are party to this agreement appoint their own representatives and alternates.  These groups will be chaired by a member appointed by the university to represent the employer.  The number of members appointed by the unions should be at least equal to the number of members appointed by the employer.  Where possible, equity issues should be considered when forming the assessment groups.  Each university decides how many members are to be on each group.

6 § Follow up and development of the salary system
The Ministry of Education will appoint a negotiation group to follow up on matters relating to the salary system, to secure the needs for development of, the uniform application of, and the functionality of, the salary system.   The group will consist of members representing the Ministry, the university sector (as employers) and organisations representing staff.  If needed, there can be two follow up groups, one for each system of assessment.

The universities are responsible for providing training concerning the new system to both supervisors and staff.   The university  is also responsible for providing information to staff.  Unions will contribute to the content of training.

7 § Duration of the protocol
This protocol is valid from the 1^st of December, 2005, and its end date will be the same as that specified for the Collective Agreement mentioned in 1 § of this Protocol.

This signed Protocol is not a collective agreement.   The Protocol expresses the mutual and uniform view of issues dealt with in the Protocol.

8 §   Signatures
There are four copies of this signed Protocol, one for each of the parties.

Helsinki, x.xx. 2006

The Ministry of Education
The Public Sector Negotiating Commission (JUKO)
The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL)
The Confederation of State Employees (Pardia)