Cash envelopes to MPs

As far as publicity stunts go, this is good one:

The Finnish Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy) on Tuesday sent envelopes containing 30 euros in cash to all 200 MPs in an attempt to illustrate the government's contribution to the care sector wage increase.

The envelopes also contained a note remarking that the cash represented what the government had called a historical pay increase for care-sector professionals.

Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen's defense lacks the same pizazz:

"All wage-earners have the right to defend their own interests and employment terms, but what we need now is realism to find the best solution," Mr Katainen wrote.

Mr Katainen pointed out that not all injustices could be mended at one fell swoop, adding the proposal by the Commission of Local Authority Employers (KT) was close to what he had had in mind originally.

How boring. Surely he could have done some sort of an illustration of just how much bigger this proposal is than the previous deal (fi) Tehy signed in 2004. Maybe he could use fruit as visual aids.