Olli A. Manni and Sari Hukkanen are proud that the operations of the employment area have been launched successfully. They call for real-time information on the employment situation in the area and genuine dialogue between municipalities.
In the Turku employment area, the highest decision-making power is exercised by the Employment Area Committee. The committee decides how the area uses the money allocated by the state and oversees that the organisation functions well.
“We must provide the conditions for the office holders of the employment area to be able to carry out their duties,” says Olli A. Manni (National Coalition Party), who chairs the committee.
“We receive extensive statistical data on the activities in the area. If the operations start going in the wrong direction, we will raise the issue and address it,” adds Sari Hukkanen (Social Democratic Party of Finland), vice-chair of the committee.
The committee is also the overseer of legality in the employment area. All claims for a revised decision concerning a decision made by an office holder in the employment area go through the committee.
Manni is a veteran in municipal politics in Turku, and Hukkanen influences politically in Kaarina. They find it particularly motivating to be involved in building employment services now that municipalities have genuine decision-making power and can influence matters.
Clear rules
The 13-member Employment Area Committee meets monthly in Turku. Six members come from Turku, seven from other municipalities in the employment area.
The composition of the committee is the result of political negotiations, taking into account the number of residents in each municipality, the balance between political parties and gender equality. Some municipalities have either a full member’s seat or an alternate member’s seat, changing from one electoral period to another.
“All representatives of the 23 municipalities in the employment area have the right to speak and be present at the meetings. This ensures that all information is openly available,” Manni says.
He is satisfied with of how high quality and highly motivated the committee is. The committee rules were agreed upon at the very beginning. Manni emphasises that the committee decides on matters concerning the entire employment area. Municipality-specific supplementary employment services, on the other hand, belong to municipal policy level.
“The spirit at the committee is good. People are not afraid to talk and ask things. Matters are also well explained and presented to us. We move forward on matters, not letting discussions drag on and on,” Hukkanen says.
According to Chair Olli A. Manni and Vice-Chair Sari Hukkanen, decisions are made in a good spirit in the Employment Area Committee.
Tools to support decision-making
Manni and Hukkanen emphasise that the reform of employment services was a huge manoeuvre, which was implemented within a short time. They are, therefore, proud that the employment area was successfully launched at the beginning of the year.
“All credit to Pipa Turvanen and her co-workers for that. In Turku alone, there were at least 50 people carrying out the reform,” Manni says.
Of course, there is still plenty to develop. According to Manni, the organisation must first be put to order, and the necessary recruitment processes completed. In his opinion, the area’s IT system should be made such that it produces accurate and real-time information on the employment situation. Currently, reporting happens too slowly.
“We need information on what is happening right now, such as who is at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. The logic must be that the system provides us with tools rather than just telling us what we have already done,” Manni says.
According to Hukkanen, communication from Turku towards the municipalities in the surrounding region must also be further improved. Sharing information alone is not enough; we need genuine dialogue.
“So that the needs of municipalities are actually heard when, for example, procurement decisions are made.”
New presenting official and composition
The Employment Area Committee, which started its work at the turn of the year, is facing major changes. The committee’s most important official contact and presenting official will change when Pipa Turvanen leaves her position in April and Jukka Varonen starts as Employment Area Director.
By early autumn, the new composition of the committee will also be known. It will be negotiated based on the results of the municipal elections held in spring.
Sari Hukkanen will continue to be available to serve in the committee. Olli A. Manni does not yet comment on the matter for his part.