Chemical and Graphic workers unions to merge

(Helsinki 12.10.2009 - Juhani Artto) Two industrial unions that have their roots in the 19th century will amalgamate. They are the Chemical Workers' Union and the Media Union. The new union, TEAM, will have 67,000 rank-and -file members, which makes it the fifth largest union in the union confederation SAK. Officially TEAM will start functioning on 1 January 2010.

The final formal decisions completing the merger will be made on 13 November 2009 by the extraordinary congress of the Media Union and on 26-27 November 2009 by the general council of the Chemical Workers' Union. The two unions were already well prepared for this merger process after the amalgamation effort of five SAK industrial unions failed in June 2009.

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This article was first published on Trade Union News from Finland.