Lauri Ihalainen asked to continue as SAK leader

On 30 August the Presidents of the Trade Union for the Municipal Sector - KTV, Service Unions United - PAM, and the Finnish Metalworkers' Union formally requested that Lauri Ihalainen continue to serve as President of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions - SAK for a further term of office.

The Presidents of these major trade unions, which are the largest affiliates of SAK, stressed that Ihalainen continues to enjoy the broad confidence and respect of the Finnish labour movement and of society as a whole. They also emphasise the value of maintaining continuity as working life and the labour market undergo major restructuring.

The SAK President is elected at a delegate conference that convenes every five years. The next such conference will take place in Helsinki on 5 - 7 June 2006. Ihalainen notified the union Presidents of his willingness to continue leading SAK should the delegate conference so decide. He was unwilling to give an assurance, however, that he would continue to lead the national confederation for a full term of office ending in 2011.

Ihalainen is due to reach the SAK retiring age of 60 years in May 2007. Former SAK President Pekka Oivio (1918-2000), who held the office from 1974 to 1981, remains the only President to continue in the position after reaching this retiring age.

Lauri Ihalainen has been SAK's longest-serving President. He has also held the position of Youth Secretary and Organisation Secretary at the confederation, and has been its Secretary General since 1984. Lauri Ihalainen is a carpenter by profession.