SAK and JHL leaders want to forge closer cooperation with people in precarious jobs

(Helsinki 01.06.2009 - Juhani Artto) - Critics are right when claiming that the trade union movement has concentrated too much of its energy in promoting permanent, full-time jobs and in the regulation of the use of temporary and other precarious work.

This is what Tuire Santamäki-Vuori, the President of JHL, the largest trade union in Finland, said in mid-May, in her opening speech at the SAK General Council meeting. She is the President of the Council. JHL organises employees in the public and welfare sectors.

- In our efforts to safeguard interests we have to proceed more effectively on another track also. Social security has to be developed to satisfy, better than now, the needs of those who have unstable jobs, she went on.

- JHL and SAK want to open doors in the direction of new social movements and forge cooperation also with people in precarious jobs.

However, she reminded everyone that, often in the past, the trade union movement has actively promoted the status of people whose work careers fall into the category of what can be termed precarious jobs. Mainly, this has meant striving for better benefits and social security for temporarily employed people, to make them more equal with permanently employed people.

On May 25, a similar opening was made by Lauri Lyly, the new President of SAK, with its 1.1 million rank and file members the largest union confederation in Finland.

- Changes in working life and new ways of working have brought insecurity to working life. Therefore, as part of our programme and trade union activity, we have to focus far greater attention on the problems encountered by people in precarious jobs.

- In cooperation with people in precarious jobs we could create new initiatives for improving the status of temporarily employed people. Hopefully they hear and are receptive to our invitation, Lyly said in the press conference where SAK presented its way forward to shape its future strategy.