The City Board will discuss the initiation of cooperation negotiations due to an organisational change

As part of the reform of employment services, 84 new employees from the Ostrobothnia TE Office transferred under the City of Vaasa’s Corporate Governance sector at the beginning of 2025. Given that the transfer of employment services may affect staff duties and job descriptions, it is proposed at the meeting on 13 January that the City Board initiate cooperation negotiations.

Any potential impacts on staff will become clearer during the reorganisation of operations and the development of services throughout 2025. The cooperation negotiations will take place in the spring of 2025.

The cooperation negotiations do not aim to achieve staff reductions. However, the staff impacts may include transitions to part-time work, dismissals, and changes to job descriptions in some individual cases.

The reform brings services closer to the residents

The responsibility for organising public employment services transferred from the state Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices) to municipalities on 1 January 2025. This is part of a legislative reform in which the TE Offices were abolished, and employment services became a part of the basic services provided by municipalities.

The municipality’s residents are at the heart of the employment services reform: the aim is to improve the availability and diversity of employment services and accelerate employment by providing services locally within the municipality. As a result of the reform, municipalities will be able to develop services based on the needs of local residents and employers, which will help strengthen the vitality and competitiveness of the regions.

The City of Vaasa is the municipality responsible for coordinating the Ostrobothnia Employment Area and organises employment services is collaboration with Uusikaarlepyy, Vöyri, Mustasaari, Laihia, Maalahti, Närpiö, Korsnäs and Kaskinen.