Without unions there would be no pay increases – JHL’s Union Council has assembled in Vantaa

Trade Union JHL’s Union Council meets on 4 and 5 June 2025. In this spring meeting the Union Council discusses last year’s annual report and financial statements.

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 2024, as well as changes of administration members and initiatives submitted by the representatives, branches and joint organisations.

The two-day meeting takes place on 4 and 5 June at Clarion Hotel Helsinki Airport in Vantaa.

Trade union members defend their rights

The meeting was opened by the President of JHL’s Union Council Eija Paananen. She stressed in her speech the importance of being in a trade union. The union represents its members’ interests in every situation.

– Representation of interests means also securing the position of oneself and others. In working life that translates, among other things, into fair pay, reasonable working hours and safe working conditions, Paajanen says.

– We did not get these things as a gift. People have had to bargain and battle for many of the benefits that we now take for granted, she reminds.

JHL negotiates new collective agreements for nearly all its members this year. Most of the collective agreement negotiations were conducted in the spring.

JHL members get 7.8% pay increases in three years

The President of JHL Håkan Ekström gave a labour market overview and thanked everyone who had helped to save services in the county and municipal elections. He also summed up the collective bargaining spring in his speech.

Ekström is satisfied with the achieved pay increases. Most of the pay increases come as across-the-board increases, which means that all employees benefit from them.

– In a time of low inflation and low interest rates we can be quite satisfied with these increases because the members who work in our agreement sectors will get general-level increases, which will in practice increase their purchasing power in the coming years. Apart from a few exceptions, the total pay increases in three years will be 7.8%, Ekström says.

This was the first collective bargaining round after Petteri Orpo’s government’s legislative changes that have undermined the position of employees and the unemployed.

– Weakenings of unemployment security, discussion about universal unemployment security, and the plans to take away the right to deduct trade union membership fees in taxation all have this in common: they seek to blatantly and permanently change the balance in society and the labour market, Ekström criticizes.

Working life and pays are improved with the union members’ support

Ekström also spoke about the political situation in Finland in general and the unemployment policy of the current government. The employment situation in Finland is almost at the worst level in Europe even though the government has promised to reduce unemployment.

– During this government term we can expect only more spending cuts to finance lowering the taxes of the more prosperous. The poor and those who have a weaker position in the labour market pay the price for this, Ekström states.

JHL is a counterforce that defends a fair working life and the rights of employees and the unemployed.

– Working life changes rapidly and uncertainty grows. Because of this, we need more belonging together, more collective power. Even a small action can grow big when it’s done together, Paajanen encourages.

Without trade unions and their members, there would also be no pay increases. Raising pays and improving terms and conditions of employment is possible through every trade union member.

– Pay increases have been achieved thanks to trade unions, which have many times been declared obsolete, and thanks to their members – thanks to you, thanks to the trade union movement, Ekström stresses.

What is JHL’s Union Council?

The Union Council is Trade Union JHL’s highest executive body. It consists of 120 trade union 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

You can read the Union Council meeting news on this website. See highlights from the meeting in social media in Finnish by following us on X, Facebook and Instagram: #JHLedustajisto