Achievements of SAK and the trade union movement
The Finnish trade union movement has achieved a great deal over the years. It is quite clear that without trade unions we would never have secured many of the employee rights that are taken for granted nowadays, such as the eight-hour working day, summer and winter holidays, sick pay and maternity and parental leave.
CHOOSE THE DECADE
2023
- SAK influences hundreds of thousands of people in Finland through its #SeriousGrounds campaign against major government cuts in working conditions and social welfare.
2022
- New codetermination legislation takes effect, including many objectives pursued by SAK, such as a format for continuous dialogue and improved access to information and channels of influence for employee representatives.
- A family leave reform takes effect, increasing the duration of leave available to fathers, facilitating harmonisation of work and family life, and accommodating various types of family more effectively.
- SAK submits a new working time proposal (part-time allowance), seeking to enable employees over 60 years of age to reduce their working hours temporarily and improve their ability to cope over the final years of a working career.
2021
- SAK launches its Fair Play at Work service package to inform young adults and immigrants about norms and customs in the world of work.
- SAK begins cooperation with the Business Village scheme for school students.
- A reform of the Employment Contracts Act delivers a campaign objective of SAK by banning unfounded restraint of trade clauses in employment.
2020
- A campaign against the jobseeker activation model leads to its repeal on 1 January 2020.
- Temporary changes to the benefit system are introduced to mitigate the situation of unemployed and furloughed employees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (swifter disbursement, elimination of the waiting period and shortening of the employment condition).
- The activation model for unemployment security was abolished as of 1 January 2020 due to the campaigning against the model
2019
- Release of SAK proposals for motivating employment security
- Two-year extension of the employee rights advisory service for immigrants with financing from SAK and affiliated trade unions
- Easing of benefit conditions governing voluntary student enrolment while unemployed
- Adjusted unemployment benefit harmonised with the pay period for part-time work, reducing payment delays
2018
- #Ääni työttömälle demonstration against the jobseeker activation scheme
- Viimeinen niitti campaign against proposals to worsen job security
2017
- Pension reform takes effect
- Workplace equality plans become mandatory
- Redundant employees secure entitlement to six months of employer-funded retraining and occupational health care
- Launch of SAK annual Future Today events focusing on changes in the world of work
- Launch of SAK four-year Time of opportunities project investigating digitisation, globalisation and climate change
2016
- Competitiveness Pact and withdrawal of austerity measures planned by the Finnish government
- Employee rights advisory service for immigrants
- Reform of the Occupational Accidents, Injuries and Diseases Act
2015
- Accord on pay rises for the third year of the pact for employment and growth
- Non-Discrimination and Equality Acts reform
2014
- Act on Financially-Supported Development on Professional Skills
- Flexible care allowance
- Reforms in unemployment benefit, e.g. reduction of employment condition from eight months to six months, cut in unemployment benefit waiting period from seven days to five days and EUR 300 protected element in adjusted unemployment benefit
2013
- Pact for employment and growth
2012
- Agreement concerning the extension of work careers
2011
- Framework agreement
2009
- Expansion of training for unemployed
2006
- Contractors’ Liability Act
- Leveling the family leave costs
2005
- Renewed Equality Act
- Renewed pension system
- Renewed Annual Leave Act
2004
- Renewing vocational rehabilitation
2003
- Improving unemployment security
- Renewed Safety Act
2002
- New Occupational Health Care Act
2001
- Renewed Employment Contracts Act
1999
- Renewing early retirement
1998
- Establishing Unemployment Insurance Fund
1996
- Childcare Act
- Improving the situation of the atypical employment relationships
- Conditions of employment for foreign employees
- Renewed Working Hours Act
1995
- Job-alteration leave
- Working Hours Act
1991
- Vocational education benefit
- Improving the situation of the atypical employment relationships
- Educational insurance
- Annual leave bank
1989
- Renewing Act on Unemployment Benefits
1988
- Expansion of Child home care allowance
- Flexitime
1987
- Prohibition of discrimination in recruitment
- Student allowance for adults
1986
- Equality Act
1985
- Home Care Allowance Act
1984
- Unemployment benefit combined to wage
1980
- Study Leave Act
- Parental leave and child care leave
1978
- Act on Codetermination in Companies
- Occupational Health Care Act
1977
- Winter holiday
1976
- Group life insurance
1974
- 7-months maternity leave
1973
- Renewing Annual Leave Act
1972
- Return-from-holiday pay
1971
- 4-weeks annual leave
- Minimum wage
1968
- First collective agreement
- Sickness Insurance Act
1967
- Annual leave pay agreement
1966
- Protection against dismissal
1965
- 40-hour and 5-days working week
1961
- Employment pension system
1960
- 18–24 days annual leave
1959
- 45-hours working week
1958
- Occupational Safety and Health Act
1956
- General strike
- Pay rise
1948
- Child benefit
- Accident Insurance Act
1947
- Collective bargaining system
- Shop steward system
1946
- 12–14 days annual leave
- Labour Court
1939
- 5–12 days annual leave
1937
- National Pension Act
1922
- Employment Contracts Act
- 4-7 days annual leave
1917
- Finland becomes independent
- 8-hours working day
1907
- SAK is established