Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions

The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, usually referred to by the acronym SAK (Finnish: Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö; Swedish: Finlands Fackförbunds Centralorganisation, FFC) is the largest trade union confederation in Finland. Its member organisations have a total of more than one million members, which makes up about one fifth of the country's population.

SAK
Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions
Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö (Finnish)
Finlands Fackförbunds Centralorganisation (Swedish)
Founded1969
HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
Location
Members
c. 1 million+
Key people
Jarkko Eloranta, president
AffiliationsITUC, NFS, ETUC
Websitewww.sak.fi/en Edit this at Wikidata
Former headquarters of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions in Hakaniemi, Helsinki.

History

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The other two Finnish trade unions confederations are the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK) and the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (AKAVA). The most important negotiating partner of the SAK is the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK, Elinkeinoelämän keskusliitto/Finlands Näringsliv) which represents the majority of Finnish employers.

The current SAK was founded in 1969 as the Finnish Federation of Trade Unions (SAK 1930–1969), controlled by SKDL and TPSL, and the Finnish Trade Union Federation (SAJ 1960–1969), controlled by the SDP, settled their disputes and merged into one. The SAK considers itself the continuation of the first Finnish central organisation, the Finnish Trade Union Federation (SAJ 1907–1930).

The SAK is generally supportive of the Social Democratic Party, and has spent money on advertisements backing the party. In 2007, advertisements it placed on behalf of the SDP were found to be defamitory, leading the SAK to withdraw them.[1][2]

Member unions

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Current

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Union Abbreviation Founded Affiliated Membership (2020)[3]
Aviation Union IAU 1969 1969 3,939
Non Commissioned Officers Union* Aliupseeriliitto 1966 3,282
Border Security Union* RTU 2010 2010 2,540
Construction Trade Union Rakennusliitto 1924 1969 69,060
Customs Union* Tulliliitto 1906 882
Finnish Electrical Workers' Union Sähköliitto 1955 1969 34,663
Finnish Elite Athletes' Union SHU 2002 2012 1,625
Finnish Food Workers' Union SEL 1932 1969 30,047
Finnish Musicians' Union Muusikkojenliitto 1917 1974 3,605
Finnish Seafarers' Union SM-U 1916 1969 9,056
Finnish Social Democratic Journalists' Union SSSL 1907 1969 271
Finnish Transport Workers' Union AKT 1970 1970 43,509
General Union of Journalists YLL 1947 173
Industrial Union Teollisuusliitto 2018 2018 211,801
Paperworkers' Union Paperiliitto 1906 1969 33,826
Post and Logistics Union PAU 2005 2005 25,004
Prison Officers' Union* VVL 1895 1969 1,354
Public and Welfare Services Union JHL 2005 2005 181,881
Railway Union RAU 2018 2018 3,853
Service Union United PAM 2000 2000 207,334
Trade Union for Theatre and Media TeMe 1973 2007 5,007
Union of Foremen in Commerce* KEY 7,901
  • Unions marked with "*" are affiliated to the SAK through another union, but their membership is counted separately.

Former

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Union Abbreviation Founded Affiliated Reason not affiliated Year
Air Transport Union 1957 1969 Merged into IAU 1969
Automobile and Machinery Union AKU ? Merged into Metalli 2003
Automobile and Transport Workers' Union ? 1969 Merged into AKT 1970
Business Union 1987 1987 Merged into PAM 2000
Caretakers' Union KL 1948 1969 Merged into PAM 2000
Chemical Union Kemia 1993 1993 Merged into TEAM 2009
Chemical Workers' Union KTL 1970 1970 Merged into Kemia 1993
Commercial Workers' Union 1917 1969 Merged into Business Union 1987
Finnish Air Transport Union 1969 Merged into IAU 1969
Finnish Automobile Workers' Union 1960 1969 Merged into AKT 1970
Finnish Bricklayers' Union 1905 1969 Merged into Construction Trade Union 1971
Finnish Cabin Crew Union SLSY 2002 Merged into AKT 2015
Finnish Divers' Union 1906 1969 Merged into Construction Trade Union 1969
Finnish Glass and Porcelain Workers' Union 1907 1969 Merged into Kemia 1994
Finnish Media Union VA 1894 1969 Merged into TEAM 2009
Finnish Miners' Union 1969 Merged into Metalli 1969
Finnish Police Union SPJL 1923 1969 Resigned 1984
Finnish Port Workers' Union 1969 Merged into AKT 1970
Finnish Ships' Officers' Union SLPL 1905 1972 Transferred to STTK 1989
Finnish Textile Mechanics' Union 1969 Merged into Teva 1989
Finnish General Workers' Union 1930 1969 Merged into Kemia 1970
General and Speciality Workers' Union YEA 1960 1969 Merged into Kemia and SEL 1970
Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union HRHL 1933 1969 Merged into PAM 2000
Industrial Union TEAM TEAM 2010 2010 Merged into Industrial Union 2017
Joint Organisation of State Employees VTY 1921 1969 Merged into JHL 2005
Journalist Union 1947 1969 ? ?
Mental Health and Disability Union 1969 Merged into KTV 1981
Metalworkers' Union Metalli 1930 1969 Merged into Industrial Union 2017
Municipal and Hospital Workers' Union 1963 1969 Merged into KTV 1971
Municipal Workers' Union KTV 1931 1969 Merged into JHL 2005
Organisation of State Employees 1969 ? ?
Postal Officers' Union 1894 2003 Merged into PAU 2005
Postal Union 1906 1969 Merged into PAU 2005
Precious Metal Workers' Union 1906 1969 Merged into Metalli 1974
Railway Salaried Staff's Union Merged into RAU 2018
Railway Workers' Union RAUTL 1930 1996 Merged into JHL 2011
Rubber and Leather Workers' Union KNL 1930 1969 Merged into Kemia 1993
Rural Workers' Union SML 1945 1969 Merged into PEL 1993
Technical and Special Trades Union Tekeri 1970 1970 Merged into PAM 2000
Textile and Clothing Workers' Union Teva 1971 1971 Merged into Kemia 2004
Textile Workers' Union 1960 1969 Merged into Teva 1970
Union of Locomotive Drivers VML 1897 1995 Merged into RAU 2018
Union of Organising Officers JTL 1996
Wood and Allied Workers' Union PEL 1993 1993 Merged into Industrial Union 2017
Wood Workers' Federation PTTL 1960 1969 Merged into SPL 1973
Wood Workers' Union SPL 1930 1969 Merged into PEL 1993

Presidents

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1969: Niilo Hämäläinen
1974: Pekka Oivio
1981: Pertti Viinanen
1990: Lauri Ihalainen
2009: Lauri Lyly
2016: Jarkko Eloranta
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References

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  1. ^ SAK luopuu kohutuista televisiomainoksistaan Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine. Helsingin Sanomat.
  2. ^ SAK:n kohumainos toimi niin kuin pitikin. Taloussanomat.
  3. ^ "Jäsenmäärät". SAK. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2020.