Helsinki (12.02.2016 - Heikki Jokinen) The process of intensified cooperation between the industrial trade unions has led to a deliberation on amalgamation.
The Woodworkers’ Union (46,000 members), Paper Workers' Union (47,000), Metal Workers' Union (144,000) and Industrial Union TEAM (57,000) have been engaged in talks since late 2014 exploring various options aimed at closer cooperation.
No concrete decisions have been taken yet but in March the unions are preparing to sign a letter of intent on a way forward towards possible amalgamation. The list of open questions remains long but now the work to find common solutions can begin in earnest.
If the process moves forward, the new union could emerge at the beginning of 2018. With its 294,000 member it would become the largest union in Finland. Now the four unions have a total of 264 employees.
The new union would be a powerful force at the negotiation table as its members are responsible for most of Finnish exports. All four unions are members of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK.
Practical problems to solve
The process resembles similar efforts from 2006 to 2009 when six industrial trade unions tried to create one big union. This endeavour ended without success. However, as a result of that process in 2010 TEAM was born following the merger of the Chemical Workers’ Union and the Media Union.
In 2009 the problem was mainly political. The Left Alliance group in the Metal Workers' Union was very sceptical about amalgamation. Now they are more positive towards broader cooperation.
There are still many practical problems to solve, like what to do with the 43 collective agreements the four unions have. The purpose is not to cut the number of collective agreements and not to put them together either, writes editor-in-chief Tuomo Lilja in the TEAM magazine Intiim. But there are many possible ways to proceed.
As with other potentially problematic issues Tuomo Lilja lists the varying economic situations of the unions, the role of retired members in the decision making process and membership dues.
Now the membership fee - including unemployment fund contribution - varies in the four union between 1.5 - 1.75 per cent of the member's gross income. The unions also send back to local chapters a different share of their income from dues, ranging from 13 per cent to 23 per cent.
Green light so far
Journalist Eeva Eloranta-Jokela writes in the Paper Workers' Unions magazine Paperi that the union board gave the green light in January for work to go ahead to draw up a letter of intent between the unions.
According to her the main issue to decide in the letter of intent is on whether the 43 collective agreements should be retained. After the letter of intent a broad working group work on practical issues can begin.
Petteri Raito, editor-in-chief of the The Woodworkers’ Union magazine Särmä writes that the most difficult question is the internal unity of the participating unions and their engagement in building a new union.
The Woodworkers’ Union have in previous situations been firmly supportive of amalgamation and held its line without hesitation, Raito writes. However, every such plan is a new situation which union administrations have to evaluate separately, he adds.
Riku Aalto, Chairperson of the Metal Workers' Union explained to Yle news that closer cooperation between the industrial unions will be one of the topics at the union congress in May. He sees a very real possibility for deeper ties and adds that the preparations have been conducted in a good spirit.
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Three industrial unions are deliberating on how to intensify cooperation (04.12.2014)