Trade Union News from Finland
Helsinki (16.11.2022 - Heikki Jokinen) Akava congress elected Maria Löfgren as the new President of the trade union confederation. She beat Jari Jokinen comfortably, by getting 514 votes to his 383.
Before the congress, support for both candidates seemed to be quite even, with perhaps a slight lead showing in Löfgren’s favour. However, on the day of the congress, the result soon became clear, as more unions said they would support Löfgren. Among these were unions like the Finnish Medical Association (47 votes) and The Union of Professionals in Natural, Environmental and Forestry Sciences Loimu (22 votes).
In general, but not exclusively, Löfgren enjoyed more support from those unions working mainly in the public sector or having a major share of female members. Jokinen’s stronghold tended to centre around unions with members working mainly in the private sector, technology and business - and being often male-dominated unions.
Read more: Maria Löfgren elected Akava President by clear...
Helsinki (04.11.2022 - Heikki Jokinen) Akava, one of the three Finnish trade union confederations, will elect a new President on 14 November. Both candidates have an equally good chance of claiming the prize.
The long time Akava President Sture Fjäder will step down prematurely and the Akava congress will elect his successor. There are just two candidates, lawyer Maria Löfgren and Master of Science in Technology Jari Jokinen.
Both work as executive directors in the Akava organisation, Löfgren in the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals - JUKO and Jokinen in the Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland - TEK. Löfgren is politically independent, Jokinen is a member of the right-wing National Coalition Party - like the incumbent Akava President Sture Fjäder.
Helsinki (19.10.2022 - Heikki Jokinen) In a television commercial, a group of kids argue in the playground about whose mother has the most important job. They list a chef, teacher, police officer and a lieutenant in the military.
Then, another small kid pipes up from the sandbox and says that "my mother makes all the jobs of your mothers". The ad concludes with a voice and a text: "salaries in the public sector are paid for by the tax of good companies".
Behind the ad is the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK. It is the major central organisation for private sector employers.
Read more: Employers' television commercial attacks public...
Helsinki (17.10.2022 - Heikki Jokinen) In January 2022, the collective agreements for the technology and chemical industry were agreed for two years, leaving only the pay rise for 2023 open for discussion. Negotiations towards this end have not led to a result and the Industrial Union have now terminated the agreements.
The Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN has also decided to call a halt to its technology industry collective agreements. The technology industry agreements are still valid until the end of November, the one for the chemical industry was valid until the end of September.
Riku Aalto, President of the Industrial Union, says that the views of the parties are now exceptionally far away from each other.
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