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 36 affiliate unions with a combined membership of 613,000, of which some 115,000 are students.
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 36 affiliates have a total membership of 613,000 members, including more than 115,000 students.
Membership is degree-based, also in accordance with profession or work position.
Average age of labour force is 43 years
More than half are female.
44 per cent of the members have children under the age of 18.
84 per cent have a permanent, full-time job. Young women are often working in fixed-term employment
positions.
The average total earnings of men is 4,900 euro, while for women, it is 3,920 euro. Akava members pay nearly half of the State’s income tax revenue.
Akava’s affiliates 1.1.2017* Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland
70 700
The Finnish Association of Occupational Health Nurses
Akava Special Branches
26 581
The Finnish Business School Graduates
52 726
The Finnish Police Federation SPJL
10 970
Akavan sairaanhoitajat ja TAJA Akava's General Group Association of Finnish Lawyers
1 519 739 16 245
The Finnish Union of Public Health Nurses
1 559
7 463
The Institute Officers Union of the Finnish Defence Forces and the3Border 823 Guard
Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists
5 964
The Officers Union
6 140
Finnish Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
8 927
The Union of Church Professionals within Akava AKI
5 740
Finnish Dental Association
7 273
The Union of Diaconal Workers in Finland
1 753
Finnish Medical Association
25 860
The Union of Professionals in Natural, Environmental and Forestry 14Sciences 709 Loim
Finnish Pharmacists' Association
7 909
Trade Union Ava
5 700
Finnish Psychological Association
7 272
Trade Union of Education in Finland
120 150
Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers
7 082
Union of Finnish Speech Therapists
1 597
Finnish Veterinary Association
2 699
Union of Finnish University Professors
2 455
Kirkon Nuorisotyöntekijöiden Liitto KNT
1 155
Union of Professional Business Graduates in Finland TRAL
32 429
Managers and Professionals YTY
10 360
Union of Professional Engineers in Finland
68 615
Sales and Marketing Professionals
26 501
Union of Professional Social Workers
24 130
Social Science Professionals
12 355
Union of Swedish-speaking Engineers in Finland
3 150
Union of Technical Professionals, KTK
8 293
The Finnish Association of Architects
2 411
Total * Trade Union Ava’s membership data is from May 2017 Source: Affiliate reports
612 954
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 members’ employers 2017 0,2 %
3%
9%
State 8,7 % Municipality 31,1 % 31 %
Church 1,2 % Private 55,6 % Entrepreneur 3,2 %
56 %
Other 0,2 %
1%
Source: Affiliate reports 2017
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.
Goals for the municipal and county elections The municipality of the future is a civilized municipality •
In the future, all residents of a municipality will have, as a minimum, an upper secondary degree.
• Extensive civilization services are the basic task of municipalities.
Making Finland a model country for the promotion of well-being and health • Municipal activities that promote well-being and health will be strengthened. • The level, quality and availability of health and social services will be defined nationally. Prerequisites for employment and municipal vitality shall be improved • The overall tax rate must not increase. Service fees must not lead to incentive traps. • Quality services can only be provided by vital municipalities. The well-being of personnel will improve productivity • The methods will be created for the personnel to participate in the development of their own work and the planning of reforms. • Employees will be provided increased opportunities to continue their education and competence development.