Lauri Ihalainen continues as SAK leader

News from the 17th SAK Congress

The SAK Congress unanimously re-elected the organisation&#;8217s leadership at its afternoon session on Tuesday. Lauri Ihalainen remains President, Matti Huutola will serve again as Vice President, and Tuire Santamäki-Vuori will continue to chair the organisation’s General Council.

Lauri Ihalainen has already been at the helm of SAK for 15 years, making him the longest-serving President in the history of Finland’s largest labour confederation.

He may not complete his new term of office, however, as he will reach his retiring age of 60 years in 2007. The President is nevertheless expected to lead the organisation through the next round of national incomes policy negotiations, which is due to begin in autumn of next year. If Lauri Ihalainen does retire before the next SAK Congress, then the organisation’s General Council will elect a successor to complete his term of office.

Ihalainen is a carpenter by training, but has spent almost his entire career at SAK.

Following his re-election Ihalainen announced that he was delighted to have the honour of leading a movement with values and aspirations of justice, equality and fair play in working life.

Doctor continues to lead General Council

Dr Tuire Santamäki-Vuori will continue to wield the gavel at meetings of SAK’s General Council. She is also President of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors – JHL, which is SAK’s largest affiliated union. Santamäki-Vuori is a Doctor of Economic Sciences.

She was pleased to begin a new term on the General Council following such an active and energetic Congress:

“In the SAK trade union movement we are aware of our highly significant role in building an affluent society in Finland, and that this must be done with our support and not at our expense.”

Matti Huutola, who continues as Vice President, is also originally trained as a carpenter. He has also served as a Member of Parliament.

At a press conference the re-elected leadership of SAK characterised the organisation’s 2006 congress as one of debate and constructive criticism.