Itella Posti not renewing my contract

[umairfinland]

Hi,
I am an Asian and started working with Itella Posti in Jan 2012 as news paper delivery worker in espoo region, tough job low pay and snowy winter nights pitch darkness. I was given 4 months contract every time, in sept 2012 they told me some route optimization is taking place after which i will get permamnent contract. I was never given holiday during temporary contract period, i was always given written warning if i ever had been late to work. At the end my boss wrongly accused me of loosing the keys while i did not. When I confronted him he could not substantiate his allegation with any evidence.
On the other hand there are guys who are favoured, permamnent worker in my area lost his keys during work and he was never reprimanded.
Infact my boss is a total a$$hole i want to fight back, file for discrimination because he blocked my new application in helsinki region telling lies to other managers that I lost the keys while on work and that i frequently come late. This way he interfered in the hiring process too. I also have a written letter from them which stated that most likely i will get a permanent contract after dec 2012. I had taken it from them to submit to KELA as they required it.
So here are my questions:
1. I want to take the employer to court for discrimination and not renewing my contract.
2. I want to sue my manager for accusing me of theft (loosing key during work which i did not and he cannot prove).
3. Also I would like to contact a good lawyer about this and any idea how it will cost and how it goes?
4. I would like to contact media outlets (HS,YLE) and tell my story of one year of discrimination and treated like sh*t to anyone who is interested to pick it.
5. I would personally write this situation to the MPs in the parliament, if their companies treat foreigners like dirt, no one will stay here.

If nothing works, i leave Finland after graduation if this is the level of discrimination. I appreciate any helpful replies. Thanks

[Adrian42]

1. I want to take the employer to court for discrimination and not renewing my contract.
2. I want to sue my manager for accusing me of theft (loosing key during work which i did not and he cannot prove).

What of the things you wrote here can you prove at court? As an example. can you prove that you never lost a key?

He might be able to prove exactly how many written notices he has given you for being late at work...

Parts of your story where a lawyer might quickly be able to tell whether that is OK or not:
- no holidays given
- several temporary contracts in a row
- letter stating you might perhaps get a permanent position

It could be everything of these is legal, but it is worth getting that double-checked.

Whether you want to start legal proceedings no matter how small your chances are and no matter how much money it might cost you is your choice, but you should think twice what is worth it for you and what is not.

It is just like when a relationship with a boyfriend/girlfriend broke up in an unfriendly manner:
Even though one wants to do whatever one can against that a$$hole, it is often best to forget the bad past and live on.

3. Also I would like to contact a good lawyer about this and any idea how it will cost and how it goes?

Are you in an union? They usually have lawyers that can give legal advice.

4. I would like to contact media outlets (HS,YLE) and tell my story of one year of discrimination and treated like sh*t to anyone who is interested to pick it.
5. I would personally write this situation to the MPs in the parliament, if their companies treat foreigners like dirt, no one will stay here.

First of all, it is worth mentioning that while various levels of discrimination are happening, companies treat foreigners like dirt is the exception and usually foreigners are treated OK.

Boss treats some employees properly and others like $hit. Might or might not be related to your nationality. Happens every day and at many companies.

No matter how bad as it is for you, your story is relatively harmless compared to what some other people experience. I doubt any media or MPs would be interested in your story.

[Deni85]

First of all, you need to know how the things work here.

Finland is dark and cold during the winter. You should have known this before you applied for a newspaper delivery job.

Your boss doesn't have to renew your contract if he doesn't want.

Employers have the right to give warnings if the employee is late.

You can't accuse someone of discrimination if you are late at work or if you are not a reliable person. Why is he accusing you of theft? did you lose the keys or something was missing from the place? You can't prove that you didn't loose the keys, so it is his words against yours. If don't have enough prove against your boss, you will just waste your time and money in court.

What holidays are you talking about? did you work on public holidays? you didn't have to work if you didnt't want. I know a lot of people who would work in all public holidays and on Sundays because they get double salary. If you were talking about vacation, then this you should have agreed before you sign the contract.

[rinso]

Hi,
I am an Asian and started working with Itella Posti in Jan 2012 as news paper delivery worker in espoo region, tough job low pay and snowy winter nights pitch darkness. I was given 4 months contract every time, in sept 2012 they told me some route optimization is taking place after which i will get permamnent contract. I was never given holiday during temporary contract period, i was always given written warning if i ever had been late to work. At the end my boss wrongly accused me of loosing the keys while i did not. When I confronted him he could not substantiate his allegation with any evidence.
On the other hand there are guys who are favoured, permamnent worker in my area lost his keys during work and he was never reprimanded.
Infact my boss is a total a$$hole i want to fight back, file for discrimination because he blocked my new application in helsinki region telling lies to other managers that I lost the keys while on work and that i frequently come late. This way he interfered in the hiring process too. I also have a written letter from them which stated that most likely i will get a permanent contract after dec 2012. I had taken it from them to submit to KELA as they required it.
So here are my questions:
1. I want to take the employer to court for discrimination and not renewing my contract.
2. I want to sue my manager for accusing me of theft (loosing key during work which i did not and he cannot prove).
3. Also I would like to contact a good lawyer about this and any idea how it will cost and how it goes?
4. I would like to contact media outlets (HS,YLE) and tell my story of one year of discrimination and treated like sh*t to anyone who is interested to pick it.
5. I would personally write this situation to the MPs in the parliament, if their companies treat foreigners like dirt, no one will stay here.

If nothing works, i leave Finland after graduation if this is the level of discrimination. I appreciate any helpful replies. Thanks

1. You can off course do that, but I doubt if you will be successful.
2. You can file a complain if he publicly accused you of stealing without prove. But again I doubt if the police will look at the incident because it is clearly a case of he said, she said.
You cannot sue him because there is no direct damage. Emotional stress is not considered damage in Finland.
Since you have been given written warnings about other things the job loss is not a result of his accusation.
3. A good lawyer will cost you at least €250,- to €300,- per hour. (if they want to take the case.
4. & 5. Go ahead, but don't expect anything.

I was never given holiday during temporary contract period

Part time and temporary jobs often have limited holiday options. Look in your contract what is agreed.

I also have a written letter from them which stated that most likely i will get a permanent contract after dec 2012.

They said "likely". But they also gave you written warnings what more than cancels out this vague promise.

file for discrimination

Can you prove it was because of your race, religion or skin colour? That he doesn't like you is not enough to shout discrimination.

i want to fight back

You won't win. It will be a frustrating experience that only cost you money.

If nothing works, i leave Finland after graduation if this is the level of discrimination.

Your story hardly qualifies as unreasonable treatment. It sounds more like a mismatch of man and job.
If you call this discrimination, you'll have a difficult time in Finland ahead of you.

[rinso]

I had a quick look at the other topics you started.
It seems to me that as soon as things are not going as you expected, you start to blame people and threaten with legal action.
It is your attitude that causes all your problems, not your skin colour or your nationality.

[umairfinland]

rinso
never mind my old posts, you have no right to judge. I came to Finland thinking this could be a land of opportunities. I seriously think now probably this country is not worth giving your toil, sweat and blood. what else could i have done better, 1 year of hard work and my manager ruined my reputation just because of his ego.
No wonder many foreigners here cheat the system and take benefits of welfare system and are better off than me. All i can do is take a good education under my belt and leave finland to its egoistic and racist mindset employers. 30 years from now i will see how finland looks like.

[Deni85]

It seems to me that as soon as things are not going as you expected, you start to blame people and threaten with legal action.
It is your attitude that causes all your problems, not your skin colour or your nationality.

I agree. Once people move to a different country they should live according to the local customs and stop complaining about everything. Finland isn't a perfect country, but nobody is being forced to live here.

[cors187]

If nothing works, i leave Finland after graduation

Its not really an equal playing field country.I think its an acceptable preference by most locals.

[Oombongo]

I had a quick look at the other topics you started.
It seems to me that as soon as things are not going as you expected, you start to blame people and threaten with legal action.
It is your attitude that causes all your problems, not your skin colour or your nationality.

hear, hear!
now to the OP. Things are quite tough in Finland at the moment, and a letter with words like "most likely" is not a promise in golden letters.

rinso
never mind my old posts, you have no right to judge. I came to Finland thinking this could be a land of opportunities. I seriously think now probably this country is not worth giving your toil, sweat and blood. what else could i have done better, 1 year of hard work and my manager ruined my reputation just because of his ego.
No wonder many foreigners here cheat the system and take benefits of welfare system and are better off than me. All i can do is take a good education under my belt and leave finland to its egoistic and racist mindset employers. 30 years from now i will see how finland looks like.

and why would you open another account? Usually people with online alter ego(s) are not reliable, and online sock puppetry can't be taken seriously.

[umairfinland]

thank you all of those who have replied to me, i rest my case. even this forum is useless, all I see when anyone comes here with a genuine problem seeking some advice there is just some stereotype replies by some particular members. it is depressing but then its ok, this world is not a fair place and one has to fight or live to fight another day. i do not think i will come back here again.

[rinso]

i rest my case. even this forum is useless,

The first few answers were were quite to the point. You may not like them but they gave you a good indication where you stand.
You can use them to get the best possible solution for your problems. The perfect solution you're after may not exist.

never mind my old posts, you have no right to judge.

Your history on internet will stay with you forever.
And people will judge you on many things.
In this case you were judged on what you did and wrote, not on your nationality, religion or skin colour.
Isn't that how you wanted to be treated?

[wicked lewis]

Stay still and admit the loss, this is Finland.

[Upphew]

Stay still and admit the loss, this is Finland.

Nah, I'd say raise brouhaha, hire a lawyer and go to court. AND come back to tell how it went.

[Deni85]

I am a new user but I've been reading this forum for quite a long time. I can't believe that so many people get frustrated for not getting the information they want. Once you write in a forum you have to be ready to expect all kinds of answers, even the ones that you wouldn't like to get.

all I see when anyone comes here with a genuine problem seeking some advice there is just some stereotype replies by some particular members

This is only because some members are brave enough to tell people the truth. And nobody is offending anyone.

If you search for these members, you will see that their stereotype replies are only for members like you, who don't have a clue of how things work here.

I appreciate any helpful replies

Please define "helpful replies". You are seeking for advice and we are giving you advice, actually everybody is saying almost the same to you. You have to take this a good advice. You will not win your case! I'm sorry this was not what you were expecting, but think about all the headaches you will avoid by listening to what we said.

But if you feel that you have to fight against your boss, then go ahead!

If this would have happened in your country, I'm sure you would just take it as he is a terrible boss. But no, you are in Finland. It's easy to blame Finnish people and say they are racist. I had terrible experiences with doctors here, not once, not twice, but a lot and I am not blaming Finland or the Finns.

[cors187]

Stay still and admit the loss, this is Finland.

hire a lawyer and go to court. AND come back to tell how it went.

True.
Never surrender , this is a country that keeps facts ,and honestly who likes a prejudice manager anyway.No-one!