When the union is seen and heard, we get results – JHL’s Union Council assembles in Helsinki

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

In this spring meeting the Union Council discusses the financial statements and annual report of the year 2025. The two-day meeting agenda also includes processing changes of administration members and initiatives submitted by the representatives, branches and joint organisations. This spring there are 18 initiatives to discuss.

General resistance is not a good way to attract new members

The Chairperson of JHL’s Union Council Eija Paananen emphasised in her opening speech that the trade union movement operates in a changing environment.

“We should move with the change, but not on just any terms.”

Paananen said that just resisting change and defending the old is rarely a good way to advance employees’ interests.

“At worst, it can result into losing everything. That is why it’s important in the future that JHL strengthens local bargaining and shop stewards’ negotiating capabilities.”

According to Paananen, local representation of interests and local bargaining are the most important means to retain the union members and gain new ones. Paananen said that the public image of the union is too often associated with general resistance, which is not a good way to attract new members.

“I think that the right approach is always to begin a discussion, even if the starting point is very difficult. When we look for alternatives, it may be possible even with an unpleasant proposal to find solutions that are good for members.”

Workplace visits are important

The President of JHL Håkan Ekström highlighted in his labour market overview that regular workplace visits and meeting members face-to-face have resulted into successful union organising.

“When we have discussions where we are genuinely present in people’s everyday life, we get results. People join the union when the union is seen, heard and present. This is an important lesson for the coming years.”

Actives of Trade Union JHL have started to appear in workplaces more often. Now they visit different workplaces throughout the year, usually on the last Wednesday of each month,

The objective of the visits is to increase JHL’s visibility in workplaces.

Ekström reminded that at the same time it is important to recognise future challenges.

“The pressures on Finland’s public finances are not going to disappear – it’s on the contrary. Uncertainty of working life has increased in the recent years. Technology and artificial intelligence change the work in our members’ workplaces.”

This development also affects the activities of the union and how we develop our services, and JLH looks for new ways to support the members in a changing world of work

Students are an important part of the union

The current labour market is very challenging for young people. JHL’s youth forum representative Laura Göös said that the pressure is high, employers expect more proof on competence that what is possible, and the young fight for the same workplaces as people with years of more experience.

Göös reminded that students are also an important part of the union. Student years are an exceptional period in a person’s life. During that time, people construct their conception of society, the world of work, their rights and their safety nets.

“If we succeed in being their supporter and place of safety in this time and they learn to trust us, we are going to have committed members in the future, in the best case for the duration of their entire working life.”

Göös finds it important that JHL continues to do good and visible work at educational institutions.

“Even if a student switches to another field or ends up working somewhere else, they will probably join the union of their new field when they have understood the significance union membership with us. And the most important thing for all of us to be in a union”, Göös concluded.

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 spring meeting on our website and in social media

Trade Union JHL’s Union Council meets on 28 and 29 May. Follow the meeting on our website and in social media.