SAK's public sector unions prepare to merge

New major organisation will be a strong force in the public and welfare sectors

(Helsinki, Press release - 29.01.2004) The public sector unions belonging to the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) plan to join forces to form a completely new organisation that would represent the whole public sector. The Trade Union for the Municipal Sector (KTV), The Finnish National Union of State Employees and Special Services (VAL), the Joint Organisation of State Employees (VTY), the Finnish Customs Officers' Union, the Finnish Prison Officers' Union and the Coastguard Union have stated their objective to form a union that will strengthen their negotiating position, also in sectors and enterprises that operate on commercial principles but produce publicly funded services. The unions involved in the process represent almost a quarter of a million wage earners. The project was started in spring 2003 and the work of charting the possibilities of merging has proceeded according to a tight schedule.

KTV's president, Tuire Santamäki-Vuori, says that the merger preparations will continue according to the schedule, which aims at launching the new union at the beginning of 2006.

"The changes that have taken place in the public sector's operating environment, together with new service production concepts make it necessary for the public sector unions to re-organise on a broad front. The objective of this move to join forces is to gain a stronger negotiating position in various sub-sectors and at different levels of bargaining, especially in the private welfare service sector," Santamäki-Vuori stated, explaining the grounds for the merger plan at a joint briefing of the unions held in Helsinki on on Thursday 29th January.

According to Santamäki-Vuori, this is the rationale behind the targets set: to combine the unions' resources, thus giving them greater weight in society and increasing their power to promote members' interests. Within SAK the aim of the merger is to ensure that the public sector employees' needs are taken into consideration when the central organisation decides on its goals in labour market and social policy.

"The influence of the new organisation will be based on its representativeness and on its ability to combine organisational forces in support of its members' interests. In the state sector, the members of the union in the administrative domains of the various Ministries will represent nearly all professions. In the municipal services the union will cover all the professional sectors," explained Raimo Rannisto, president of VAL and VTY, at the briefing.

Rannisto stressed that a new multisector organisation must be able to organise its activities in such a way as to ensure that all the various member groups and professions feel their interests are being considered and well looked after. The planning of the organisational structure of the union will be guided by the need for a member-oriented approach with strong local branches and a comprehensive network of regional offices.

The aim is to make a decision on the new organisation's letter of intent and founding charter during this year. The merger preparations should be completed by spring 2005.

This article was first published in English on
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