Hard time for women

The sales manager of a foreign made car has resigned since he made derogatory remarks about women in general in an interview for a women's magazine, his resignation having been the right thing to do according to both his superiors and the Finnish minister in charge of equality issues.

And poverty in Finland has increased, but as poverty in terms of income has not been defined it really depends on how you count. Today more than 700.000 people earn less than 1.100 Euros per month, with a third of them being single moms.

Now having in mind that women together with minorities are treated unequally in working life, according to freshest report on how human rights actually are carried out in Finland, it is no wonder that most women retire out of working life for health reasons with the main reason being depression.

Conclusion, this may not be the easiest of countries to live in, especially if you are a female and a foreigner.

No equality in Parliament

The Finnish Parliament returned to working life again as their Christmas break ended on Monday.

Despite having been on Xmas break the parliament has been hitting the headlines with rumours about female assistants and secretaries having been sexually harassed by male parliamentary representatives. Names of the representatives have of course been visible in the media but none of the allegedly sexually harassed has come forward. The president and the chairman of parliament both have condemned sexual maltreatment, and to my surprise I found out that the law on equality only applies to workers and not to representatives of the parliament. This seems like a peculiar oddity and at the same time a bad flaw in the law in these days when sexual equality is spoken about and regulated and guidelined for here in Finland in every way.

Anyway, I have been down with the most excruciating headache since Saturday afternoon and finally today it was time for my appointment with my chiropractor. I have a tendency to get my neck all tense and then the headache hits me like a sledge hammer, it is no migraine as my migraine medication does no do anything for it and ordinary painkillers only get the edges off it, and as the agonising pain can go on for day and night for up to ten days I sometimes crave for a bullet to end it all. All I have been able to do about it has been to stay in bed in my dark bedroom and wait for it to pass, counting the hours…and seconds avoiding to move and to think. And thinking is not the best thing to do, the rest of the family always enjoy the oddities that comes out of my mouth at these fortunately more rare than commonly habitual occasions of this headache.

Thinking about it right now, it seems a bit like an over drastic measure to take to end the pain with a bullet into the brain but this far nothing has helped, and when you’re there having the pain you just want it to end. This time I was lucky as I had the appointment with the chiropractor so conveniently booked, almost like a premonition. Of course his treatment was not the most pleasurable ones I have been through, and believe me I have been to a couple of chiropractors in my days, but the relief afterwards even though places still are sore and ache but I got relief from the tension, the headache lifted off.

God, am I thankful to be alive and kicking!

Equality

Negotiations between the unions and their employers have been going on lately about a pay rise and as some have struck agreements on their wages the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals who have not, are now threatening to go on alternating strike or even to mass-resignations from their jobs in protest. If I have got it right, altering strike would be to work and to be on strike on alternate days and mass-resignation would be to resign many at the same time. Wonder about the chances to be rehired after such a measure. This would be a great opportunity to get rid of unwanted and difficult personnel for the employers. Also the Union of Salaried Employees issued a warning strike effective in end of October which would affect several technology companies if no agreement is made.

Another thing that has been on the news is the difference in prices for haircuts for men and women and some hairdressers are now threatened to be fined by the Ombudsman for Equality here in Finland. The question is why men’s haircuts are valued differently from women’s? Women’s hair is more difficult to cut, more time-consuming, women are more picky, men come in more often as the average man has shorter hair?

Anyway, this would be the first time in Finland any company would face financial penalties based on the gender equality law, a law that has been effective for more than 20 years already.

At the same time we might want to ask why women are expected to be properly made up with their hair done as men can go unshaved for weeks. Women are essential to national economy as they spend so much money on their outlooks in addition to all clothes they buy, money spent on workouts, hair products, cosmetics etc

Women earn less money but still have to spend more to stay smart and good-looking. Men just need to get gray hair and a thick wallet to be someone to keep in mind. Where’s the equality in all that?

More work done cheaper

Recently it has been all about pay rise and wages negotiations in the media here in Finland.

Employees threatening to walk out of their jobs, threatening strikes in order to get a pay rise, demands for more money working overtime and after the negotiations between the unions and employers, companies and municipalities are now beginning to complain about having to raise the taxes in order of being able to afford the pay rises.

At the same time there still is a big unemployment rate in this country and many of these are women. Well they say women even when doing the same job as men are paid less, it was something about 1 Euro for men would be 80 cents or something for women still when doing the same job. So what is there to do, both to get more people into working life maintaining the cost efficiency in companies? Employ more women as they are cheaper and still do the same job as men. How does this sound for equality?

Companies are not as prone to employ women as they have children and stay home when they are ill, well women still normally do more than a man’s work, if you know what I mean.

Employing a second woman to replace the other being on her maternity leave should only make the business even more successful, getting rid of the men costing a fortune and never doing a woman’s job anyway and employing more cost-effective women. They are cheaper according to all research done and work harder in order to keep up in pace with the men, to be able to advance in the same time. Women not only have to work more and harder in order to receive the same benefits as men just are handed automatically, they have to prove they are worthy in working life in opposition to men. Men just are and what you see is what you get, and frankly, sometimes that is not much.

It is just a shame that the taxes and all other social costs are the same for both men and women. Maybe we now would need a change in this as we now have solved the national economy of this country. Getting more work done for less pay.

Lavender biscotti

According to most Finns the pressure of high demands and the fast pace at work are the biggest problems in their professional lives. Finnish entrepreneurs only keep two weeks vacation per year but would like to have the usual four weeks employees usually have. And women still earn less money compared to men doing the same job disregarded their education, so what is new in the world?

Well, I was earlier today invited to go on a fishing trip tonight, then someone, and I bet it was dear spouse of mine, came to think about the amount of resident spiders in the boat to be used on this trip, a slight change of planes was introduced to my disappointment, but when hearing about the reason I was quite relieved and pleased of the outcome so I am not going fishing anymore tonight.

I hope at least the cats will get some fulfillment from it though, get full of fish that is.

I really am terrified of spiders to tell you the truth, no matter how small they are and I can’t help myself. It is such an unreasonable phobia and I might probably be holding the world record of height and length jumping at the same time if shown a big, black hairy spider!

So with the cancellation of my trip the offspring is soon to be disappointed as soon as it is announced that mummy does not go fishing and their party plans for tonight will have to be cancelled promptly as I am staying home making these lavender biscotti I have thought about trying for such a long time now.

Coming to think about it, going out walking in the woods then climbing into a boat with these feet of mine after yesterdays disaster choice of shoes might not have been a good idea anyway.

It’ll just pass

Surprisingly enough there is only 22% women among the senior management in big companies in Finland having even decreased since last year.

That does not look good with the Finnish parliament now consisting of over 40% women representatives, the new government also having a majority of 60% of female ministers in office and even a female president. Well according the population this should not be too bad as I think there are more women than men in Finland so may be this management deficit in women will correct itself with time.

Sadly enough women have also become increasingly more violent suspected due to drug abuse. Women are today committing more crimes compared to earlier and the crimes they are committing are more violent than ever.

But this seems to be an overall prevailing trend in crimes, just heard about an acquaintance with south European origins getting severely beaten up one Saturday night. He was just walking home and all of a sudden got beaten up by several drunken men in the middle of the city for everyone to see with no one bothering to interfere. Only later apparently the beating was over someone passing by called for the police and an ambulance.

It is sad with this inventiveness and carelessness that prevails today, and this is becoming more and more common not only in Finland but all over the western world. Maybe this could explain the about the inconsideration about the global warming. It is just too much to grasp what is happening so we don’t do anything.

"Never mind. It’ll just pass".
And maybe my dear spouse is hoping that I will forget about the bike too.

No chance, my dear!

Politicians showing the way

It is the time for the Parliamentary elections on March 18th, and last week was the last full session in the house before the elections. And now the politicians are running fulltime for the elections and they are seen all the time on the TV, having discussions with each other on different issues or being interviewed, but the strangest thing was to see them on the Helsinki Casino drinking wine and playing Black Jack and Roulette.

I wonder the point is, in showing them off in fancy dresses and surroundings? With several thousand people living out in the cold in the streets with more than twenty degrees below zero in the winter, and having no where else to go, not having any means to buy themselves decent clothes or food?

Guess there is a new elitist class in Finland after all, regardless of all talks about equality between citizens and the attenuation between the social classes. Even the socialist politicians are for the equality between the politicians and want better pay.

The sessions in the Finnish house of Parliament are often broadcasted on TV and when voting on different issues, even important ones I would think, not many of the representatives are present to place their votes. Why should they get better pay when they are never there doing their job?

Is this the elite showing how to behave, for the masses to follow their suite?

Elitist shopping

You should know how to dress to be able to shop as you might be treated like you dress, or talk for that matter.

There is a department store that has store in some of the major cities in Finland, and even some places abroad such as Estonia and Russia. If you go shopping there especially in the store they have in Helsinki, in the women’s clothes department, or men’s wear for that matter, speaking Finnish, then the sales persons do not even pretend to see you, even if you are dressed smartly.

Try the same thing when without make-up and dressed like coming from you country home and speak Finnish Swedish, then the elitist salespersons all compete to service you.

I have tried this myself and seen it work this way. Why?

Well, my theory is that the upper class used to be Swedish speaking. As today there no more is a such distinct difference between the elite of a upper-class of company CEO’s and other well paid people, and the Finns have a tradition of fear and awe for the patron and boss, they act accordingly. They respect the one who pays the wages not to loose their job.

Am I wrong? So stop thinking about racism here, it even exits between the Finns themselves, there is no equality in this country, not between the sexes or in any other way. Or is there?

Quality time

Of course women and men should earn equal pay for the same job!

For instance, my husband could never cope with giving a dinner-party without any help and doing it all on his own. No chef, no caterer nor florist and especially no secretary to help with all that needs to be taken care of.
Just setting the table with all that it takes. The tablecloth, china, cutlery and glass-ware. Making the floral arrangements and keeping in mind about allergies. Getting the right ambiance with lights, candles and music. Designing a three- or four-course menu with the special-diets and food allergies your guests might have and combining it with the suitable wines. Doing the groceries and then cooking the meal and serving it at the right time with the right wine.
And if that is not enough, also being yourself fresh, properly made-up, dressed to the occasion, happy and smiling and not smelling of any cooking fumes when the guests arrive… Nothing you just swing out of the pantry!
But then... I would not want to be in my husbands shoes at his job because he has much bigger feet than me!

By the way, I never got any flowers for the Women's Day from my husband, but we did spend some good quality time together.

Late last night, just the two of us...