Helsinki (29.08.1997 - Juhani Artto) Most of the unemployed, 58 per cent of the interviewed, regard trade unions as the most reliable force in the fight for jobs. President Martti Ahtisaari's work to combat unemployment is appreciated by 40 per cent of the unemployed.

Among entrepreneurs, 71 per cent and 67 per cent of the young adults believe that the union movement works seriously for new jobs. Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen's cabinet and the employers score 38 and 37 per cent respectively.

These figures are from an opinion poll conducted by Finnish Gallup. More than one thousand Finns over 15 years old were interviewed in February.

The study reveals that the confidence of the Finns in the future is strenghtening, following the deep recession of the early 1990s.