A group of active JHL members requested Mari Keturi to run for the position of the President of JHL
A large number of active JHL members requested Mari Keturi to run for the position of the President of the union in the next election. Keturi has been a Chief Executive Officer of JHL since 2024.
A large number of active JHL’s social democrats, including the chairpersons of all regional groups of JHL’s social democrats, have requested JHL’s Chief Executive Officer Mari Keturi to run for the position of the President of JHL.
The request was made to Keturi on Wednesday 20 May in JHL’s central office by a delegation including for example the chairperson of JHL’s social democrats in Southern Finland Riikka Aalto and the chairperson of JHL’s social democrats in Southwest Finland Päivi Rantanen.
These actives are worried about how the right-wing Government of Finland has systematically sought to undermine the operating conditions of trade unions and the position of employees. Especially low-paid female trade union members in the public sector have been hit hard, Aalto reminds.
“The country’s right-wing government has taken a shockingly and unprecedentedly hard line against workers. Blows have been dealt by the government, the Confederation of Finnish Industries, Suomen Yrittäjät, and the media. Equality has taken a big step backward in Finland. We need restoring of confidence and the culture of negotiation, hope of something better. That is why we see that Mari as the only possible choice as the future President of this great trade union JHL – the best public sector trade union on Finland.”
Rantanen and Aalto describe Keturi as a bold and charismatic leader who can steer Trade Union JHL with determination in the changing and challenging operating environment of the future.
“Mari is a wise, bold and radiantly charismatic visionary who is not afraid of standing up for us. She is approachable, diplomatic, listening, caring, and very efficient.”
“Mari is our catalyst for innovation, our future, and our heart. We need to evolve, and to do that, we need Mari. It is time to step into the new millennium and new ways of doing things because the world and Finland are changing. We need to rise back to the surface, and Mari will get us there”, Rantanen comments.
Keturi said yes
Keturi says that she is grateful for the trust placed in her, and she has agreed to the request.
“The request from the actives to run for the position of the President of JHL gives me a very good feeling. It also signals that I have made right choices as the Chief Executive Officer of the Collective Bargaining and Union Activities Line and that people trust what I’m doing and the way I develop operations.”
Keturi describes that her strength is solid experience in negotiating and organisation work, which can be seen in her determined approach and her ability to drive development in the world of work.
“The world of work changes all the time, sometimes faster than we can follow. At the same time, people want security and clarity, but also genuine opportunities to influence their work and their future. I find it important that JHL does not just observe this change from the sidelines. Instead, we should actively contribute to shaping it. It’s critical for the success of the union that we look ahead and don’t just react to what’s happening around us.”
Mari Keturi thinks that JHL at its best is two things at the same time: strong on the fundamentals and a bold driver of change. A union that takes care of terms and conditions of employment and of its members’ everyday working life, and at the same time influences in how the world of work will look in the future.
“At the same time as we change, we must go back to being clear on what the essence of a trade union is. Union power and strong representation of interests are not in a supporting role; they are the foundation of everything we do. When we hold on to them and do them well, we can also credibly evolve and modernise.”
According to Mari Keturi, JHL’s strengths are competent people, an active organisation and wanting to do things better all the time.
“Doing things together needs to show in everyday work, not just in speeches. I firmly believe that working together brings good results.”
JHL’s next Union Council will have an assembly meeting and spring meeting in Helsinki next year on 8 and 9 June 2027. The President of JHL will be elected on the first day of the meeting.
The Union Council is the union’s highest decision-making body. It consists of 120 elected members, and its term of office is 5 years. The Union Council elections will be in February 2027.
Mari Keturi has 20 years of work experience in the trade union world. She is a lawyer by training, and her career consists of a variety of roles in labour market affairs and interest representation, as well as extensive managerial and leadership experience.
More information:
Mari Keturi, tel. 050 461 9315
A photo of Mari Keturi is available for download here.