Akava - Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland General presentation
Working together for success and security
Akava is a trade union confederation for those with a university, professional or other high-level education.
Akava has 35 affiliate unions with a combined membership of nearly 600,000.
Akava and its affiliates provide members with security in the form of, for example, collective agreements, a negotiation system, a network of shop stewards as well as legal and career services.
Akava, its affiliates and negotiation organisations work together to ensure the success and well-being of Akava members throughout their work career.
The President of Akava is Sture Fjäder.
A safety net for working life Akava serves as part of the safety net for working life by contributing to the preparation of relevant legislation, unemployment and social security policies, and the pension system.
A safety net for working life
• Professional members • Students
Affiliate unions
Akava serves as part of the safety net for working life by contributing to the preparation of relevant legislation, unemployment and social security policies, and the pension system.
Member
Akava • Matters relevant to one’s own union
• Matters of interest to all Akava members
Negotiation • Sectorspecific organisations matters
Agent of social influence in all its areas of activity Societal policies Economic and tax policies Matters related to working life Social and health policies Educational policies Employment policies Business policies Organisational and student activities
Influence is based on expertise and research.
Akava is influential on the national, regional and international levels both as a central organisation and through its member affiliates.
Objectives
Finland shall gain growth and vitality through employment.
Education and training shall always be lucrative.
Work careers shall be extended by improvements in well-being at work and by developments in working life, employee competence and equality, and by investments in labour force services.
The incentive to work shall be increased by reducing work-related taxation.
The public economy shall be balanced and reach a state of stability, and municipal residents shall be guaranteed good services through reforms engaging the personnel. Strong growth and employment shall make it possible to ensure sustainable public services.
Finland’s competitiveness is based on competence and expertise. The continuity of this competence shall be assured on all levels. The development of universities in terms of quality and structures shall be continued.
Organisation Union Council Working committee
Board
Business policy committee • Entrepreneurs’ and self-employed professionals’ division • Public sector division
Organisation committee
Akava’s student council
Executive committee
Education and labour force policies committee Social and health policies committee Working life committee • Working life researchers
• Students’ working committee
Regional networks (15) Regional management
Values Advocacy for members Open co-operation Active power player
Basic facts about Akava’s membership
Akava’s 35 affiliates have a total membership of 589,000 members, including 111,000 students.
Membership is degree-based, also in accordance with profession or work position.
Average age of labour force is 43 years One fourth of all Akava members are under 30 years of age. More than half are female. 46 per cent of the members have children under the age of 18.
76 per cent have a permanent, full-time job. Unemployment has increased. Young women are often working in fixed-term employment
positions.
The average total earnings of men is 4,880 euro, while for women, it is 3,920 euro. Akava members pay nearly half of the State’s income tax revenue.
Examples of Akava members’ professions and degrees
Doctor Expert
Meteorologist Teacher
M.Sc. (Tech)
BBA
Officer Agronomist Speech therapist Physicist Translator MBA Occupational health nurse Librarian Social worker Fire chief Museum Curator toimintaterapeutti
Chemist
Kindergarten teacher
Lawyer
Psychologist Sales and marketing professional Nurse Researcher Architect Engineer Border and coast guard Pharmacist Veterinarian Environmental inspector
Technician
Dentist
Product manager manager Entrepreneur
Commercial pilot
Property
Microbiologist
Professor
Forester Housekeeping supervisor
Akava employers 2015
3 %6 % State 6.3% Valtio, 6,3 %
32 %
Municipality Kunta, 31,8 31.8% % Church 1.3% 1,3 % Seurakunta,
Yksityinen, 57,7 % Private 57.7%
58 %
Ammatinharjoittajat, Entrepreneur 2.8% 2,8 %
1%
Source: Affiliate reports 2015
Total membership of all trade union confederations in 2015 Total 2,146,000
27 %
47 %
SAK (1 008 000) STTK (550 000) Akava (589 000)
26 %
The total membership of the trade union confederations includes unemployed members, pensioners, students and non-paying members. Source: Cost distribution between SAK, STTK and Akava.
Growth for Finland through work - Akava’s key objectives for the Government term 2015–2019 Objectives Employment rate of 75% in 2015 Tax rate at the EU-15 level
Longer work careers provide the funds for a healthy welfare society
Profitable education Functioning incentives Lucrative work Better foundations for entrepreneurism
Business subsidies that encourage renewal Longer careers through the development of working life
Solid foundations A balanced public economy Functioning social welfare, health care and municipal reforms
High competence level R&D investments 4%