Do you want to be the defender of terms and conditions of employment at your workplace? Nominate yourself for shop steward election!
Shop stewards are JHL members’ most important help at their workplaces. Employees contact the shop steward when they have a concern about something in their employment relationship. At many workplaces people are elected to this important position this autumn. Nominate yourself for election!
If problems arise at the workplace, the shop steward is the first person who JHL members can turn to.
These local union representatives help you if you have a problem that you cannot resolve by yourself by discussing it with your superiors. They are familiar with the day-to-day work of their workplace and monitor that collective agreements and the law are observed there. Learn more about shop stewards’ responsibilities.
How can I become a shop steward?
Shop stewards are chosen by election, usually for a term of two years.
Many workplaces organise elections in autumn 2025. Read more about the elections.
You could be a great shop steward! If you want to help and support your co-workers and listen to their views, stand for election!
If you do not know yet whether your workplace has a shop steward election this autumn, ask from your local union branch or regional office.
JHL’s shop stewards Boke Virta and Minna Saikkonen tell in the video what motivated them to become shop stewards and why the role is so important. Note that you need to accept marketing cookies to view the video.
JHL’s collective agreement sectors use two different terms for shop steward in Finnish: “luottamusmies” and “luottamusedustaja”.
The municipal and welfare sectors adopted the gender-neutral term “luottamusedustaja” in spring 2025. In practice, the term “luottamusedustaja” is used at municipalities, wellbeing services counties and the company sector of Local Government and County Employers KT, and the term “luottamusmies” is used at other workplaces.
Join JHL!
JHL is the most diverse trade union in Finland. Our members work in about one thousand different occupations in welfare and public services. You can be for example a social welfare or health care professional, a youth worker or an early childhood education and care professional, a cleaner, a cook, a secretary, a security guard or a train conductor, and we are your trade union!
