JHL (01.12.2016 - Heikki Jokinen) The main goal of JHL in the year 2017 is to guarantee the Union’s ability to carry out its basic tasks effectively, the Union Council decided at its November meeting.
New projects which require major resources are to be scrapped. But existing projects will continue at full steam and the lessons learned from these will be incorporated into essential Union work.
The reason for this decision is the forthcoming major reform of social welfare and health care services. These services will be transferred from municipalities to the 18 soon to be established autonomous regions. More than 200,000 people will have a new employer by the beginning of 2019.
This process will affect a large number of JHL members. New social welfare and health care structures and employers demand a new kind of action and organising of the Union.
The other main issues in the JHL 2017 plan of action are aimed at improving the working place and regional level advocacy and strengthening Union organising at local level.
The plan of action also stresses the need to improve the Union office service capacity and to create a clear and strong image of the Union. The latter shall serve both in the recruitment of new members and help in building and consolidating contacts with political decision makers.
Another important issue in the plan of action is to improve the position of its members within the labour market. This will be achieved by striving to improve their educational and skills competence.
The Union Council also decided on membership dues for 2017. The total fee payable to the union and unemployment fund will be the same as before, 1.38 per cent of gross pay.
This includes the membership fee for the Public and Welfare Sectors’ Unemployment Fund, which will rise slightly, from the 0.33 per cent of gross pay to 0.38 per cent .
Self-employed union members will be asked to pay a flat fee of 20 euro per month. According to Finnish legislation they cannot be members of the union unemployment fund.
The minimum fee - paid for example by retired members - will be eight euro per month.