General presentation Akava 2015

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.

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Akava has 35 affiliate unions with a combined membership of nearly 600,000.

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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.

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Akava, its affiliates and negotiation organisations work together to ensure the success and well-being of Akava members throughout their work career.

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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.

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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.

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Education and training shall always be lucrative.

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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.

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The incentive to work shall be increased by reducing work-related taxation.

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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.

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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.

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Membership is degree-based, also in accordance with profession or work position.

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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.

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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%