Theatre and Media Employees join SAK

The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland organisation (TeMe) became a member of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions – SAK at the beginning of April. TeMe is a confederation of eight trade unions in the theatre, dance, circus, film and audiovisual sectors that was previously independent of Finland&#;8217s national labour confederations. These unions represent a total of some 3,650 members, including film and video employees, theatre directors, theatre technicians, production workers, dance artists, choreographers, theatre administrative staff, scenographers, and lighting and sound designers.

TeMe has concluded nationally binding collective agreements for theatre employees, theatre dancers and dance teachers. It has also concluded several other collective agreements of normal scope in sectors such as film and video, television, theatre, circus and public events.

TeMe now becomes SAK’s second cultural sector affiliate, as the Finnish Musicians’ Union is already a member. The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions – SAK is Finland’s oldest national labour confederation, and will celebrate its centenary on 15 April in Tampere. SAK represents 22 affiliated trade unions in industry, the public sector, transport and private services. These unions in turn represent the interests of more than one million employees in Finland (out of a total workforce of about 2.5 million).