OAJ’s and FEE’s salary increase negotiations began on 13 March. The level of the salary increases will be determined according to the reference sectors agreed in the 2024 conciliation resolution. Reference sectors include employees in the technology industry, salaried employees in the technology industry and salaried employees in the chemical industry.
– The salary increases now agreed are in line with the general line established at the start of the year. It has been a long-term goal for OAJ to reduce the teaching obligations of general education teachers in the private education sector to the same level as those of teachers in the municipal sector. Now, the matter is finally progressing, so I am very satisfied in that regard, says Pasi Repo, Chief of Negotiations at OAJ.
In the private education sector, salary increases were divided into two different groups
It has been a long-term goal for OAJ to harmonise the teaching obligations of general education teachers in the private education sector to the same level as those of teachers in the municipal sector. For this reason, the private education sector was divided into two different groups in the salary increase negotiations, with the salary increases being determined differently for each.
The compensations of shop stewards and occupational safety and health representatives will be increased by 2.5 per cent as of 1 August 2025 and by 2.9 per cent as of 1 July 2026.
Upper secondary schools, comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools for adults and adult lines at upper secondary schools (Appendices 1 and 2)
As of 1 July 2025, salaries will be subject to a general increase of 1.7 per cent and, as of 1 August 2026, to a general increase of 2.03 per cent.
Agreed local instalments are 0.75 per cent as of 1 July 2025 and 0.87 per cent as of 1 August 2026. However, the local instalments for both years are reserved for the use of the teaching obligation working group. The aim of the teaching obligation working group is to reduce the teaching obligation by 0.5 weekly lessons per year.
– Reducing the teaching obligations of all general education teacher groups is a very expensive and complex operation with spill-over effects, on which a considerable amount of contractual assets must be spent. As the increases in the reference sectors on which the salary increases are based turned out to be larger than usual, we had the opportunity to use local instalments to develop the national employment terms , says Repo.
The working group must make a proposal on reducing the teaching obligation by 31 March 2026. If the working group does not achieve a solution and local instalments are not used to reduce the teaching obligation, the local instalment will be distributed normally as decided by the employer on the basis of work performance and how demanding the work is.
The parties have agreed that, for the academic year 2025–2026, the local instalment will be used to increase personal salaries and pay scale salaries as well as bonuses and rewards in euros on a fixed-term basis. The entire local instalment for 2025 is reserved for use as an arrangement instalment as of 1 August 2026 to cover the costs arising from the reduction of teaching obligations.
Folk high schools, adult education centres, sports institutes, music institutes, art schools and vocational institutions (Appendices 4–10)
As of 1 August 2025, salaries will be subject to a general increase of 1.7 per cent and, as of 1 July 2026, to a general increase of 2.03 per cent. Agreed local instalments are 0.75 per cent as of 1 August 2025 and 0.87 per cent as of 1 July 2026. The local instalment for 2026 can also be converted into an arrangement instalment in negotiations at the union level.
In vocational adult education centres, the funds will be used to increase salaries
The salaries of those covered by the collective agreement for vocational adult education centres will be increased by a general increase of 1.75 per cent as of 1 August 2025 and by a general increase of 2.03 per cent as of 1 July 2026. Additionally, agreed local instalments are 0.75 per cent as of 1 August 2025 and 0.87 per cent as of 1 July 2026.
The local instalments will primarily be used in the way decided by the employer on the basis of work performance and how demanding the work is. Before distributing the instalment, the employer must negotiate the grounds with the shop steward.
The local instalment for 2026 can also be converted into an arrangement instalment in negotiations at the union level, if the parties so decide.
The compensations of shop stewards and occupational safety and health representatives will be increased by 2.5 per cent as of 1 August 2025 and by 2.9 per cent as of 1 July 2026.
