Helsinki (14.04.2016 - Heikki Jokinen) The Social Democrats kept their clear majority in the Metal Workers' Union gaining 62.3 per cent of the congress delegate votes. The populist right wing Finns Party lost their only delegate, after receiving a mere 0.1 per cent of the votes.
The 422 delegates to the 22nd congress of the Metalworkers’ Union were elected in the general elections from among its members. More than 57,000 members voted in this elections, 41.3 per cent of those eligible to vote.
The elections were almost totally dominated by the left wing parties. Besides the Social Democrats the other major group inside the Metal Workers' Union is the Left Alliance, which received 37.2 per cent of the votes.
Only one of the congress delegates came from other groupings and this was taken by the Centre Party who garnered 0.3 per cent of votes. In 1980's the Centre Party share of votes was higher - even as high as 4.2 per cent in the 1983 elections.
In the previous elections in 2012 four delegates come outside the left parties. One of them was representing the populist right wing Finns Party. It got now 0.1 per cent of votes, losing almost two thirds of it's already small support among Union members.
Both Social Democrats and Left Alliance increased their share of vote slightly in comparison to the 2012 elections. However, the Social Democrats have managed to extend their lead in recent times.
Back in the 1990's and up until the 2004 elections the Left Alliance used to get 41 - 45 per cent of metal workers' votes in the Union elections.
There were 1,155 candidates for the congress delegate this year. Four years ago the number was 1,291.
Riku Aalto, the President of the Metalworkers’ Union says he was expecting a higher turnout in elections. It was down a bit from 44.2 per cent four years ago.
It was possible to imagine that given the existing political situation in Finland more people might have been keener to come out and be counted, Aalto says.
The congress will take place in the city of Tampere 22. - 25.5.2016. It is the highest decision making organ of the union, meeting every fourth year.
It makes decisions on the policy guidelines for the next four years congress period, elects the President and the Union Secretary, the Executive Committee and the National Council.
The congress will also take stand on the more than 2,000 motions received from the Union local branches and decide on the amalgamation of four industry trade union.