 A trade union confederation that harmonises and develops the goals and work of its affiliated unions
➤ This work is based on the participation and solidarity of members and workers’ representatives
 A specialist in working life and the labour market
 A movement for social reform
 A dependable partner in bargaining and cooperation

 In a changeable national and international operating environment SAK ensures:
➤ Conditions for affiliates to agree legally binding minimum terms and conditions of employment for their members
➤ Fundamental rights and security in the world of work
➤ Earnings-linked social security
➤ A lobbying channel for employment and social security

” Nowadays and always, the most important job of a trade union is to defend its members’ interests and to oversee agreements and regulations in the bargaining sector.”

The mission of the SAK trade union movement is
 to improve the welfare, living standards and democratic participation of employees and
 to promote a fair and equitable society.

1.
A world of work that promotes social affluence
2.
A strong consensus society
3.
Full employment
4.
Comprehensive social security and a high standard of welfare services
5.
Strong organisational capacity

” A union must stand up for the workers and steadfastly resist employer manoeuvres.”

 Human rights in the world of work
➤ More and better jobs
 Decent work improves productivity and quality
 On-the-job learning is normal at work
 Meaningful work promotes wellbeing
 Flexible working hours promoting health and respecting employee needs

 The right to work
 The right to a wage that ensures a decent income
 The right to fair and equitable treatment
 The right to safe working conditions
 The right to work that enhances vocational skills and to democratic channels of influence at work
 The right to organise in trade unions, the right to free collective bargaining and the right to strike

 A better employment situation must be the main aim of economic and taxation policy
 Effective, high standard employment policy
 Vocational qualifications for all
 A universal right to freedom from discrimination at work
 The keys to growth in business policy

”I want a union that takes care of our terms of employment, and stands firm over safety at work”

 Principle of solidarity – joint action by trade unions
 Pay settlements must improve purchasing power
 Labour legislation must guarantee basic rights at work
 SAK is actively involved in the work of the
European trade union movement

 Improved coverage of social security
 Public employment services must be enhanced
 Safeguards for the level and financing of earningsrelated pensions
 A sustainable policy for prolonging working careers
 Flexibility in family leave
 Reduced health disparities

1907
1917
1922
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
SAK established
Finland becomes independent, 8-hour working day
Employment Contracts Act, 4 – 7 days of annual holiday
National Pension Act, 5 – 12 days of annual holiday
Collective bargaining system, workers’ representative system, Labour Court, child benefit
General strike, 45-hour working week
Employment pension system, Sickness Insurance Act,
40-hour / 5-day working week, annual holiday pay agreement, first incomes policy agreement (Liinamaa I)
Minimum wage, holiday return bonus, 7-month maternity leave, winter holiday, Occupational Health Care Act, Act on
Co-operation within Undertakings
Study Leave Act, Act on Equality between Women and Men, parental and child care leave
Improved conditions in casual employment, annual holiday bank, Working Hours Act
4-hour minimum working time, pension reform, subscriber liability for outsourced labour, revised Act on Co-operation within Undertakings, reform of the Annual Holidays Act and the Act on Equality between Women and Men, equal pay programme

”The trade union movement must stand united and solidarity must remain its watchword.”

 1 038 000 members in SAK-affiliated unions
 100,000 activists
 21 affiliated unions
➤ about 2,900 branches
➤ about 100 local organisations
➤ 13 regional offices and a representative in Åland
➤ 1,500 staff in SAK and its affiliates
➤ 100 staff in SAK

Industry
 Metalworkers’ Union
 Paperworkers’ Union
 Wood and Allied Workers’ Union
 Construction Trade Union
 Foodstuff Workers’ Union
 Electrical Workers’ Union
 Industrial Union TEAM
Transport
 Transport Workers’ Union
 Aviation Union
 Post and Logistics Union
 Railway Salaried Staff’s Union
 Cabin Crew Union
 Seamen’s Union
 Locomotive Drivers’ Union
Private Services
 Union of Foremen in Commerce*
 Service Unions United
 Musicians’ Union
 Theatre and Media Employees in Finland
* via the Service Sector Union PaU
Journalists
 Social Democratic Journalists’ Union
 General Union of Journalists
Public Sector
 Trade Union for the Public and Welfare
Sectors JHL and its members:
 the NCOs’ Union, the Coastguard Union, the Customs Officers’ Union ja Prison Officers’
Union

 SAK represents 1,038,000 union members:
➤ Industry 450 525 (43 %)
➤ Private services 248 381 (24 %)
➤ Public sector 238 861 (23 %)
➤ Transport 100 106 (10 %)
➤ 170,000 members under 30 years of age
➤ 482,039 women and 556,360 men
 The women and men of SAK

Private services
Industry
Public sector
Transport
Average income (€/month)
MEN
24 %
77 %
32 %
72 %
2 810 €
WOMEN
76 %
23 %
68 %
28 %
2 438 €

MEMBERSHIP OF AFFILIATES IN 2013
UNION
Finnish Transport Workers ´ Union
Finnish Aviation Union
Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL (total including
Customs, Coastguard, Railwaymen, Prison Officers, NCOs)
Union of Foremen in Commerce
Metalworkers ´ Union
Service Union United PAM
Paperworkers ´ Union
Finnish Post and Logistics Union
Wood and Allied Workers ´ Union
Construction Trade Union
Railway Salaried Staff ´ s Union
Finnish Food Workers ´ Union
Finnish Elite Athletes Union
Finnish Cabin Crew Union
Finnish Seamen ´ s Union
Finnish Musicians ´ Union
Finnish Social Democratic Journalists ´ Union
Finnish Electrical Workers ´ Union
Industrial Union TEAM
Theatre and Media Employees in Finland
Finnish Locomotivemen ´ s Union
General Union of Journalists
Yhteensä
Women
%
11
25
18
89
41
7
54
58
68
67
18
78
24
50
23
48
64
1
32
31
4
38
46
TOTAL
50 582
3 712
238 861
7 655
152 476
229 811
39 665
29 593
37 534
88 909
1 220
36 237
3 216
1 875
9 841
3 331
347
35 615
60 089
4 368
3 283
179
1 038 399

 Pay security and job security: 45 %
 Unemployment security: 30 %
* Source: Labour market policy opinion survey, spring 2012

 SAK works regionally and locally
 Promoting co-operation with affiliated unions and officials
 Promoting trade union organisation
 Lobbying regionally to improve society

 Offices in the Eastern Finland operating area
➤ Joensuu, Kuopio and Mikkeli
 Offices in the Southern Finland operating area
➤ Helsinki, Lahti and Lappeenranta
 Offices in the South-Western Finland operating area
➤ Pori and Turku
 Offices in the Western Finland operating area
➤ Jyväskylä, Tampere and Vaasa
 Offices in the Northern Finland operating area
➤ Oulu and Rovaniemi
 Representative in Åland

 170,000 members under 30 years of age
 Youth Committee
➤ Co-ordinates union youth work, expresses opinions and prepares proposals concerning young adults.
 Arvo magazine for young adults
 Regional action groups for young people

”The traditional march with banners and a brass band is not the only way to make a stand and lobby effectively in all directions.”

 the largest women’s organisation in Finland
 the largest immigrant organisation in Finland

ORGANISING RATE AND COVERAGE OF
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS, 2008
*2007 ’2006
Sweden 90/68,3
Denmark 80/67,6
Finland 90/67,5
Malta 51/59,0
Cyprus 75/58,0
Norway 70/53,3
Belgium 96/51,9
Luxemb. 60/37,4
Romania' 60/34,0
Italy 44/33,4
Ireland 44/32,3
Austria 98/28,9
UK 33/27,1
Greece 70/24,0
Portugal 70/20,4
Czech R. 50/20,2
Bulgaria* 30/20,1
Germany 62/19,1
Holland 85/18,9
Hungary 33/16,8
Slovakia 35/16,8
Poland 30/15,6
Spain 71/14,3
Latvia 16/14,0
Estonia 16/10,7
Lithuania 15/9,3
France 95/7,7
0,0 10,0 20,0 30,0 40,0 50,0 60,0 70,0 80,0 90,0 100,0
Coverage of collective agreements %
Union density %

Congress
General Council
Executive Board
1 representative for every 3,000 union members
119 representatives from workplaces
18 representatives from affiliated unions, plus the President and Vice-President of SAK
Specialist committees and Project
Groups
22 groups, representatives from trade unions
Affiliated trade unions (21)
Union districts / regions
Union branches (2 900)
SAK regional organisation
• 13 regional committees
• 13 offices in 5 operating areas
Workplaces
• About 100,000 workers’ representatives
Local organisations (110)
• Trade union branches as members

Sectoral forums
TRADE UNIONS
CONGRESS
GENERAL COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Steering Committee
SAK office
Specialist committees and project groups

SAK
Member Unions
STTK
Member Unions
Akava
Member Unions
Confederation of
Finnish Industries EK
Local government employers
Office for the
Government as
Employer
Labour Market
Organisation of the
Church
Central government

ITUC
 Improving core labour rights, especially trade union rights all over the world
 Solidarity projects (Trade Union
Solidarity Centre of Finland
SASK)
 Influencing on EU policies
 Collaboration in the Baltic Sea region (BASTUN)
ILO
SASK
TUAC
ETUC
FinUnions
NFS
International Trade
Union Confederation
International
Labour Organization
Trade Union Solidarity
Centre of Finland
Trade Union Advisory
Committee to the OECD
European Trade Union
Confederation
Joint EU Representation of SAK, STTK and Akava in Brussels
Council of Nordic Trade
Unions