“All members have to get their well-deserved pay increases” – JHL’s Union Council assembles in Helsinki

The Union Council of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL has assembled for the regular autumn meeting.

The Council discusses in the meeting the budget and the operational plan for the year 2026. The two-day meeting agenda also includes processing changes of administration members and initiatives submitted by the representatives, branches and joint organisations. This year there are 15 initiatives to discuss.

Reacting to changes quickly and expertly

The President of JHL’s Union Council Eija Paananen opened the meeting and highlighted that the union has faced many challenges in the recent years. The challenges include the development in the number of union members, changes of labour market structures and the general uncertainty in the economy.

“Under these circumstances it has been important that we have made responsible financial decisions. We have saved money where that has been possible, but on the other hand we have invested there where the impact is the greatest.”

Paananen said that for Trade Union JHL, ability to act means for example reacting quickly and expertly to changes in the labour market situation, as well as competent personnel and shop steward network. The most important thing, according to Paananen, is that the members feel that the trade union is on their side in practice and not just in principle.

“Good ability to act does not come by chance. It requires constant developing, co-operation, and also courage to change,” Paananen sums up.

Clear goal in collective agreement negotiations

In his labour market overview the President of Trade Union JHL Håkan Ekström thanked people for the successful collective agreement negotiation round last spring. Ekström reminded that in the autumn and end of the year JHL still negotiates on collective agreements for the private social services sector and the private early childhood education and care sector.

“Agreements have to be found for all sectors, and all members have to be kept in this. All members have to get their well-deserved pay increases.”

Ekström says that he is fairly convinced that it is in the best interest of JHL members to seek as extensive coordination as possible between trade unions also in the next negotiation round. 

“It is also the best way to counteract those forces that want to fragment collective bargaining and pull down society that is based on agreements and whose starting point is that the trade union movement and workers should have no influence in Finland.”

Ekström reminded that the change starts from elections.

“The current government parties suffered a defeat in the county and municipal elections. The working people have spoken – and it would have been even more impactful if the voter turnout had been higher. This is a reminder for us all: representation of interests is not limited to collective bargaining tables – it extends to elections as well.”

It is important to educate the youth about employment contracts

The youth forum representative Säde Kalpio talked to the Union Council about the situation among youth and students. She stressed that the young, students and others who are at the start of their careers face increasing challenges these days.

“Too many young people continue to get zero-hours contracts or other unstable employment contracts and may not even fully understand the content of their contract. Therefore young people may be misled and even exploited in the first steps of their working life, especially with light entrepreneurship, which has recently emerged in summer jobs.”

Kalpio asks how it is possible to achieve wellbeing in working life if one has to live under constant uncertainty and stress during studies with no guarantees for future working life.

“This is precisely where the trade union could have a very significant role. The trade union is not only the guardian of interest. It is also a community that can provide support and security for the employee.”

Kalpio says that young people have found for example trainings on employment contracts to be very important. In those trainings they learn through practical examples to understand what rights and obligations they have in working life.

“Trainings like this, for example, definitely need to have a chance to continue,” Kalpio sums up.

What is JHL’s Union Council?

The Union Council is Trade Union JHL’s highest decision-making body. It consists of 120 JHL members who are chosen by election. The current Union Council was elected in 2022. Its term of office is five years. See who are in the Union Council (in Finnish)

The Union Council meets twice a year, in spring and autumn, to decide about the affairs of the trade union. In addition to these regular meetings, the Union Council can also assemble for extraordinary meetings when needed.

Follow the autumn meeting on our website and in social media

Trade Union JHL’s Union Council meets on 29 and 31 October. Follow the meeting on our website and in social media.