A woman with a doctorate is to lead the largest SAK union

Dr Tuire Santamäki-Vuori elected as President of KTV

Ms Tuire Santamäki-Vuori, DSc (Econ. & Bus. Admin.), aged 48, was elected by the Union Council on 5th June 2001 as the new President of KTV, the Trade Union for the Municipal Sector. This is the largest of the SAK affiliated unions. Ms Santamäki-Vuori has held the position of Vice President of KTV since 1999, prior to which she worked at the Employee Research Centre in various capacities. In addition, she has conducted research and has lectured at the Helsinki School of Economics, at the University of Helsinki and also at the Academy of Finland.

The high academic achievements of this new President were considered to be a big advantage by the members of the Union Council for the future representation of the interests of the members of KTV. This union is well known as having a majority of members who consist of low paid female workers. Ms Tuire Santamäki-Vuori was also given merit for the depth of her knowledge on the structures of the national economy and on the problems of Finnish society as a whole. In her speech of acceptance to the Union Council, which followed her election, she drew attention to the ageing population, to the increasing need for care, to the impending shortage of workers and also to the level of municipal pay, all of which she sees as being problems of primary importance.

Hilkka Jukarainen