Finnish employee confederations sent a joint statement to the Ministry of Finance demanding that pension funds be used for nothing other than paying pensions, Keskisuomalainen reported, according to kauppalehti.fi.
The statement followed the ministry's publication on Monday of its spending and structural review, which presents the next government with numerous alternative measures to curb public borrowing, including steps affecting work pensions.
SAK chair Jarkko Eloranta said the recurring idea that the pension system has money to spare is dangerous. "In public discussion and openings to bend debt, the recurring idea that there would be something to take from the pension system is altogether very dangerous," Eloranta said in the organisations' release. Akava chair Maria Löfgren stressed the money is needed for pensions in the coming decades.
"The goal is to secure reasonable pensions also for future generations and at the same time that no pressure to raise contributions arises for them," she said.
The organisations noted that long-term calculations by the Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK) showing a strengthening financing position don't mean the work pension system holds surplus money. They were also puzzled that measures proposed for entrepreneurs' and agricultural entrepreneurs' pensions remain very small. "Corrections are needed to a system that unfairly eats public funds, not to the work pension system, which has been well managed," STTK chair Else-Mai Kirvesniemi said.
The review also flagged index-linked spending, work pensions included. ETK economist Timopekka Hakola calculated at Iltalehti's request that freezing index increases for 2028–2031 would cost a 1,000-euro pension 87 euros in total increases by 2031, and a 2,000-euro pension 175 euros. The ministry says such a step would strengthen public finances by about two billion euros.
Finland's average pension in 2025 was 2,138 euros a month.
The Ministry of Finance stresses its spending and structural review is not a recommendation or proposal, but a set of options for politicians to decide on.