EAKL to have a stronger presence in the regions

EAKL, the Central Organisation of Estonian Trade Unions, has invested in the strengthening of its regional organisation. EAKL currently has five regional offices which are located respectively in Pärnu, Tartto, Viljandi, Narva and Saarenmaa. Mr Sander Vaikma, the EAKL Union Affairs Secretary, calculates that the current five regional offices cover only approximately one half of the geographical area of Estonia. Mr Vaikma says that they need to open at least two or three additional offices.

The most recent of the EAKL regional offices was opened in the spring of 2001 in Pärnu. It represents 14 EAKL affiliated unions with a total of some 3,000 members. Ms Anu Valttenberg, the Regional Secretary, says that the activities of the regional office have produced 150 new members in under a year. The recruitment of members is at present one of the chief activities of the EAKL regional offices. Gaining collective agreements, through negotiations for each workplace, is an equally important activity. Basic trade union work is common to all of the regional offices. The aim is to keep the existing members participating actively in trade union work, to train them in the methods of representing the interests of the members at workplace level, and of recruiting new members. Mr Vaikma, the EAKL Union Affairs Secretary, is keen to emphasise the cooperation which exists between the central organisation and the unions in the regions, particularly in the matter of the organisation of training.

Due to the cultural and linguistic proximity of the two countries, the Finnish and Estonian trade union movements have traditionally enjoyed a close relationship with one another. Finnish trade unions have assisted in the establishment of the EAKL regional offices. SAK, the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, along with its various regional offices, have acted as guardian angels and close cooperation partners with the Estonian regional offices of both Tartto and Pärnu. TU, the Finnish Union of Salaried Employees, which was formerly known as TL, the Union of Technical Employees, and which is affiliated to STTK, the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees, is also involved in the development of the regional trade union offices in Estonia.

Hilkka Jukarainen
SAK info magazine 4/2001