Espoo, Vantaa begin redundancy talks with hundreds of jobs on the line
The City of Vantaa is looking to cut around 200 jobs, while Espoo is aiming to shed the equivalent of 300 full-time positions.
The cities of Vantaa and Espoo have initiated negotiations with staff representatives that could result in hundreds of job losses. Both municipalities have stated that teaching and childcare personnel will not be affected by the restructuring. Vantaa aims to save 15 million euros, potentially leading to around 200 job cuts. The city has been operating at a deficit for several years, with projections indicating a deficit of over 60 million euros this year and nearly 70 million next year.
Espoo, on the other hand, intends to reduce staff numbers to the equivalent of no more than 300 full-time positions, seeking to cut annual personnel costs by approximately 10 million euros. While Espoo currently has a surplus, Mayor Kai Mykkänen emphasized that the redundancies are necessary to prevent the city's debt-per-resident ratio from rising.
The mayor cited the city's long-term investments, including the construction of 20 schools and daycare centers and the expansion of its rail line, as factors necessitating additional savings. Mykkänen also noted that the state has reduced central government transfers to municipalities and their share of corporate tax revenue, further emphasizing the need for significant cost reductions.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
