Legal dispute could be very costly without trade union

Being a member of PAM means having protection in disputes. Without a union, a worker would have to cover the costs of court proceedings and any settlement negotiations on their own, reminds PAM lawyer Sanna Kyröläinen.

Unexpected problems can arise in employment relationships. For workers, it is extremely important to be able to turn to their union and receive legal aid without having to pay anything themselves.

Doubts may arise during or at the end of an employment relationship about whether the employer has acted legally. Sometimes the situation is clear, such as being dismissed without a notice period. But often the matter is more complex, and problems may already appear during recruitment, during the job itself, or at the end of the employment—such as in cases related to re-employment obligations.

In disputes, PAM members first receive help from their union representative or if there isn’t one, a PAM official. Most disagreements are resolved through these negotiations.

If no agreement is reached, the case is referred to PAM’s legal aid working group. To receive legal aid, the member must have been in the union for at least six months before the dispute began and must have paid their membership fees. This is why it’s important to join your union in time.

The legal aid working group consists of lawyers specialised in labour law with strong experience in employment issues in the service sectors. They assess the legal aspects of the case and decide whether legal aid can be granted. If it is granted, the case is assigned to a lawyer. The member does not have to pay for the lawyer’s services or court costs – not even if the case is lost in court.

Without union membership, the worker would need to hire their own lawyer and pay for all the legal costs themselves.

Legal aid is a very significant financial benefit for members. Legal proceedings are expensive, especially if you lose. The general rule is that the losing party also pays the other side’s costs. In a district court, this can easily mean a bill of at least €20,000.

In addition, the opposing party can appeal the decision, which means that a victory in the district court may not be final. If the case continues in the court of appeal, the costs rise significantly, and the dispute can drag on for years. Without union membership, the worker would have to cover all these legal expenses themselves.

Successful cases have resulted in substantial compensation for members. In one case, a PAM member received over €18,000 in unpaid wages and damages because the employer had not followed the employment contract. In another case, a member received over €60,000 when the employer failed to pay supplements and overtime compensation – and then dismissed the worker after they asked about these payments. These amounts could have been lost entirely without legal aid from the union.

The article was written by Sanna Kyröläinen, lawyer at PAM.

Remember

Union membership provides protection and legal help in employment disputes.
For PAM members, legal aid is always free of charge – even if the case is lost in court.
PAM’s lawyers are experts in labour law, especially in the service sectors.
Through legal aid, members may receive thousands or even tens of thousands of euros in compensation.
Without union membership, court proceedings could cost tens of thousands of euros.

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