SAK’s Lyly maps options for future relations between six industrial trade unions

(Helsinki 29.12.2006 - Juhani Artto) Efforts to develop cooperation between six industrial trade unions have advanced to a new phase. In mid- December the unions chose SAK's policy development department head, Lauri Lyly, to examine the options for future relations between the six unions.

The main alternatives lie between a full merger and closer cooperation. Lyly has been asked to produce his analysis and findings by the end of March 2007. The unions did not in any way impose preconditions on Lyly&#;8217s challenge.

The six unions involved are

• The Chemical Workers' Union
• The Electrical Workers' Union
• The Media Union
• The Paper Workers' Union
• The Wood and Allied Workers' Union
• The Metalworkers' Union

The unions, all affiliates of the largest union confederation SAK, made their mutual negotiations public in early 2006. After initial talks the Construction Trade Union withdrew from the negotiations.

A few months ago the Metalworkers' Union joined the negotiations. The unions, now participating in the project, have 370,000 rank and file members and about 50 collective agreements in the many industries represented by them.

The Finnish way to merge unions is first to undertake a thorough analysis of the situation and then allow rank and file members plenty of time to discuss and consider the pros and cons of the various options at hand. In light of this, the unions now mention the year 2010 as the likely time when changes, if any, will take place. Before then the highest organs of the unions will have met and made their final decisions.

Pressure to tighten up the union structure within the SAK, stem largely from the changes which have occurred in working life. The borders or overlap between various industries have changed and are in a continuous process of change. The employer’s side has already come to its own conclusions and is radically reducing, through mergers, the number of national employer organisations. The employers also want to significantly reduce the number of national collective agreements, by seeking to combine several of the existing ones.

This article was first published in English in Trade Union News from Finland.