Kymenlaakso Wellbeing Services County Launches Major Co-Determination Negotiations
The Kymenlaakso Wellbeing Services County has been authorized to begin extensive co-determination negotiations covering its entire staff, following a decision by the Regional Administrative Authority. The move comes as the county seeks to address significant financial challenges, with measures expected to include staff reductions and recruitment restrictions.
The Regional Administrative Authority approved the wellbeing services county’s management to initiate the negotiations during a meeting on Tuesday. While the exact start date, schedule, and content of the discussions have yet to be finalized, further details are expected to be announced in the coming days (Yle).
The negotiations are part of broader efforts to balance the county’s budget, with preliminary estimates suggesting that staff-related savings of approximately €20 million will be required. This target could result in the reduction of up to 280 person-years, though the county aims to achieve some of these cuts through natural retirements (MTV Uutiset).
In addition to the negotiations, the Regional Administrative Authority has imposed strict controls on recruitment. All vacancies and new hires will now require centralized approval, with permits granted exclusively by the wellbeing services county director. Only essential recruitments will be permitted during this period (Yle).