The policy that undermines the position of employees must not continue – JHL’s Union Council meets in Helsinki
The two-day autumn meeting of the Union Council of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL has started in Helsinki.
The agenda of JHL’s Union Council’s autumn meeting includes the budget and operational plan for 2027, as well as changes of Union Council and Executive Committee members and initiatives submitted by council members, union branches and joint organisations. This year there are 10 initiatives to process.
Employees need their defenders
The Chairperson of JHL’s Union Council Eija Paananen opened the meeting and emphasised that one thing has not changed amid the changes in the world of work: employees still need their defenders. Rapid changes pose challenges to the union’s operations in a changing environment.
“More and more often the union has to protect people who experience problems when they work as quasi-entrepreneurs in various kinds of procurement arrangements. In the coming years, Wolt work and gig work may become part of everyday in the public sector, too. Representing the interests of these workers is a major challenge.”
Paananen reminded that increasing use of AI is not going to solve the problems of interest representation. Workplaces and the union are going to need people who understand the importance of interest representation and know how to the agreements are applied in the future as well.
“Fairly certainly AI can tell about collective agreement interpretations more than even an experienced chief shop steward. At the same time, it understands hardly a thing about interest representation or creative application of the agreements. AI has no understanding, and it does not bring people together. It is not familiar with anything or anyone.”
Developing of the labour market is not in balance
The President of JHL Håkan Ekström called in his labour market overview for balance in the labour market. Changes to employment legislation, social security cuts, and savings in public services have increased uncertainty and weakened employees’ position in relation to employers.
Ekström said that in addition to its failed employment and financial policy, the actions of the Government of Finland have gnawed at labour market balance, cooperation, and the bargaining system.
“We need functioning businesses and employers, but we also need strong employee rights, comprehensive collective bargaining and being able to defend shared interests. Reforming the world of work cannot mean that costs are always moved to the employees.”
JHL’s President Ekström reminded that the upcoming parliamentary elections are going to be decisive for the direction where the working world is heading. Their themes include employees’ rights, social security, resources for public services, and the trade union movement’s scope for action.
“Workers and unemployed people cannot afford continuing of the policy where employees’ position is undermined.”
Participation in the council also teaches young members skills for their working life
JHL’s youth forum member Elli-Noora Veijalainen thanked the Union Council for giving the youth forum the right to be present and the right to speak in the Union Council.
“When young people are given room to act and are trusted, they can grow to roles that they may not even have imagined possible before. For us, this has meant that the Union Council is no longer just a distant group of people assembling in a meeting room, but a community where we, too, can participate and influence. ”
Veijalainen said that the meeting and cooperation skills and knowledge on decision making that the young learn in the Union Council are skills that they can use in their working life or in any community where they want to achieve a change in the future.
JHL’s youth forum (Nuorisofoorumi or NuFo) is young union members’ channel for influencing in the trade union. The forum consists of JHL members under the age of 35, representing different occupational sectors, educational institutions, genders and localities. The forum is now looking for new members for the term 2027–2028. The application period ends on 12 November 2026. If you want to learn more, contact Maria Helin (maria.helin@jhl.fi).