The Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) has spoke out against the Finnish government's basic income experiment. Since January the government has been paying stipends of $600/month to unemployed Finns. The SAK believes that such a policy will be a disincentive to Finnish workers.
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Free Money Provokes Some Finns to Slam Basic Income as ‘Useless’
"We think it takes social policy in the wrong direction," said Ilkka Kaukoranta, chief economist of the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), which has nearly 1 million members. Since January, a group of unemployed Finns aged between 25 and 58 have been receiving a stipend of 560 euros ($600) per month. The amount isn’t means-tested and is paid regardless of whether the recipient finds a job, starts a business or returns to school.
