Akava - Confederation of Unions

for Professional and Managerial

Staff in Finland

General presentation

Working together for success and security

Akava is a trade union confederation for those with a university,

professional or other high-level education.

Akava has 37 affiliate unions with a combined membership of nearly

610,000, of which some 110,000 are students.

Akava and its affiliates provide members with security in the form of, for

example, collective agreements, a negotiation system, a network of

shop stewards as well as legal and career services.

Akava, its affiliates and negotiation organisations work together to

ensure the success and well-being of Akava members throughout their

work career.

The President of Akava is Sture Fjäder.

A safety net for working life

Akava serves as part of the

safety net for working life by

contributing to the

preparation of relevant

legislation, unemployment

and social security policies,

and the pension system.

A safety net for working life

• Matters of interest to all Akava members

Akava

• Sector-specific matters

Negotiation organisations

• Professional members

• Students

Me

mb

er

• Matters relevant to one’s own union

Affili

ate

un

ion

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Akava serves as part of the safety net for working life by contributing to the preparation of relevant legislation, unemployment and social security policies, and the pension system.

Agent of social influence in all its areas of activity

Societal policies

Economic and tax policies

Matters related to working life

Social and health policies

Educational policies

Employment policies

Business policies

Organisational and student activities

Influence is based on expertise and research.

Akava is influential on the national, regional and international levels both

as a central organisation and through its member affiliates.

Objectives

Finland shall gain growth and vitality through employment.

Education and training shall always be lucrative.

Work careers shall be extended by improvements in well-being at work

and by developments in working life, employee competence and

equality, and by investments in labour force services.

The incentive to work shall be increased by reducing work-related

taxation.

The public economy shall be balanced and reach a state of stability, and

municipal residents shall be guaranteed good services through reforms

engaging the personnel. Strong growth and employment shall make it

possible to ensure sustainable public services.

Finland’s competitiveness is based on competence and expertise. The

continuity of this competence shall be assured on all levels. The

development of universities in terms of quality and structures shall be

continued.

OrganisationUnion Council

Board Executive committeeWorking committee

Business policy committee• Entrepreneurs’ and self-employed professionals’

division

• Public sector division

Education and labour force

policies committee

Organisation committeeSocial and health policies

committee

Working life committee• Working life researchers Akava’s student council

• Students’ working committee

Regional networks

(15)Regional management

Values

Advocacy for members

Open co-operation

Active power player

Basic facts about Akava’s membership

Akava’s 37 affiliates have a total membership of 610,000 members,

including more than 110,000 students.

Membership is degree-based, also in accordance with profession or

work position.

Average age of labour force is 43 years

One fourth of all Akava members are under 30 years of age.

More than half are female.

44 per cent of the members have children under the age of 18.

85 per cent have a permanent, full-time job.

Unemployment has increased.

Young women are often working in fixed-term employment

positions.

The average total earnings of men is 4,850 euro, while for women, it is

3,690 euro.

Akava members pay nearly half of the State’s income tax revenue.

Akava’s affiliates 1.6.2016Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland 72 020 Social Science Professionals 12 245

Akava Special Branches 28 714 Society of Finnish Professional Foresters 2 459

Akava's General Group 757 The Finnish Association of Architects 2 391

Association of Finnish Lawyers 16 298 The Finnish Association of Occupational Health Nurses 1 705

Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists 5 897 The Finnish Business School Graduates 52 168

Finnish Association of Rehabilitation Professionals 6 299 The Finnish Union of Public Health Nurses 7 344

Finnish Dental Association 7 153The Institute Officers Union of the Finnish Defence

Forces and the Border Guard3 923

Finnish Medical Association 25 516 The Officers Union 6 178

Finnish Pharmacists' Association 7 720 The Union of Church Professionals within Akava AKI 5 810

Finnish Police Federation11 104 The Union of Diaconal Workers in Finland 1 803

Finnish Psychological Association 7 027 Trade Union of Education in Finland 121 621

Finnish Union of Environmental Professionals 4 790 Union of Finnish Speech Therapists 1 550

Finnish Union of Experts in Science 7 897 Union of Finnish University Professors 2 462

Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers 7 056Union of Professional Business Graduates in Finland

TRAL30 450

Finnish Veterinary Association 2 650 Union of Professional Engineers in Finland 70 119

Health Science Academic Leaders and Experts 1 243 Union of Professional Social Workers 23 314

Kirkon Nuorisotyöntekijöiden Liitto KNT 1 155 Union of Swedish-speaking Engineers in Finland 3 226

Managers and Professionals YTY 10 264 Union of Technical Professionals KTK 8 928

Sales and Marketing Professionals MMA 26 795 Total 608 051

Examples of Akava members’ professions and degrees

ExpertDoctor Meteorologist

TeacherM.Sc. (Tech) toimintaterapeuttiOfficer Museum Curator

Speech therapist

BBA

Occupational health nurseFire chief

Sales and marketing professional

Agronomist

MBA

Social worker

Microbiologist

Librarian

PsychologistKindergarten teacher

Forester

Lawyer

PharmacistResearcher

Professor

Architect Engineer

Entrepreneur

Nurse

Veterinarian Environmental inspector Dentist

Border and coast guard

Chemist

Technician

Housekeeping supervisor

Commercial pilot Product managerProperty manager

PhysicistTranslator

Source: Affiliate reports 2016

Akava members’ employers 2016

State 6.5%

Municipality 34.0%

Church 1.4%

Private 55.0%

Entrepreneur 2.6%

6.5 %

34.0 %

1.4 %

55.0 %

2.6%

Total membership of all trade union confederations in 2015

Total 2,146,000

The total membership of the trade union confederations includes unemployed members, pensioners, students and non-paying

members.

Source: Cost distribution between SAK, STTK and Akava.

47 %

26 %

27 %

SAK (1 008 000)

STTK (550 000)

Akava (589 000)

Growth for Finland through work - Akava’s key objectives

for the Government term 2015–2019

Objectives

Employment rate of 75% in

2015

Tax rate at the EU-15 level

Profitable education

Longer work careers provide

the funds for a healthy welfare

society

Functioning incentives

Lucrative work

Better foundations for

entrepreneurism

Business subsidies that

encourage renewal

Longer careers through the

development of working life

Solid foundations

A balanced public economy

Functioning social welfare,

health care and municipal

reforms

High competence level

R&D investments 4%