Helsinki (29.04.2016 - Heikki Jokinen) The much heralded formation of a new trade union confederation still remains elusive. A number of major unions say they are not going to join it.

By the end of 2014 a group of 22 Finnish trade unions entered into talks about establishing a new trade union confederation. This was supposed to start with a clean slate and it was hoped that most or even all trade unions would unite under the same roof.

Currently, there are three trade union confederations in Finland. SAK, the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions is a mainly blue-collar confederation with 993,000 members.

The second largest is Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland. It has 597,000 members, mainly in the academic and managerial professions.

The Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK with 540,000 members mostly represent salaried employees and 58 per cent of these work in the public sector.

The unions affiliated to SAK and STTK were in favour of a single confederation.

Unions belonging to Akava, on the contrary, announced they are not interested. However there were two exceptions - the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland IL being the major union to join the discussions.

The project also gained the support of several wild trade unions, which are not members of any trade union confederation. These unions mainly represent the creative professions,  and the Union of Journalists' in Finland stand out large here.

Altogether 49 unions began talks on the feasibility of forming a new confederation. The time frame for this happening was set at around the beginning of 2017.

Suspicions raised

It turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. The genuine enthusiasm that existed in the early days has partly faded away.

The main reason for this can be attributed to what can only be described as an extremely heavy labour market year. Trade unions and confederations have been in a bitter struggle with the Government and worked hard for a national labour market pact. At the moment unions negotiate on 300 national collective bargaining agreements.

During this struggle many unions have had different kind of strategies and ways to act. And inevitably this created some friction between the unions.

There was also pressure coming from the outside. Part of the media and some others focused strongly on the fact that mainly blue-collar unions have strong left wing groups, whereas centre-right parties are strong in some other unions.

Some smaller unions have transferred or are planning to transfer from STTK to Akava, as they do not feel at home in the same confederation with SAK unions.

In some STTK unions there is deep concern as to whether public sector unions will be strong enough in the new confederation vis à vis the big industrial and blue-collar unions.

Next moves are open

All 49 unions are now considering decisions whether they want to join the new confederation. The deadline is in the beginning of June.

Three of the STTK unions have already said they will not join the new confederation. Rauno Vesivalo, the Chairperson of Tehy - The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland say that the original plan to amalgamate unions is a good idea and worthy of support.

However, Vesivalo stress that Tehy's support for the new confederation was conditional. Tehy wanted the new confederation get members from all three existing confederations and be neutral in party politics.

Tehy council was not convinced this will happen and decided to focus on further developing STTK. Tehy has 159,000 members.

Two other STTK public sector unions with 110,000 members in all, have also pulled out of the preparations for a new confederation.

So it seems there will continue to be be three trade union confederations for the foreseeable future. The remaining option is for the SAK unions and some other unions to unite to form a new confederation. Or else let the dream of a comprehensive confederation wait for better times.

Read more:

New union confederation planned for 2016 (20.01.2015)

Road opens up towards new trade union confederation (28.11.2014)