Service sector unions sign letter of intent to merge

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In December 1998, four trade unions in Finland's service sector signed a letter of intent concerning a merger. The Union for Commercial Employees, the Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union, the Caretakers' Union and the Technical and Special Trades' Union intend to establish the new union in 2001 at the latest. it will be the second largest affiliate of the SAK confederation and the second largest trade union in Finland.

In December 1998, a letter of intent concerning a merger was signed by four trade unions affiliated to the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö, SAK): the Union for Commercial Employees (Liikealan ammattiliitto); the Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union (Hotelli- ja Ravintolahenkilökunnan Liitto, HRHL); the Caretakers' Union (Kiinteistötyöntekijäin Liitto, KTTL); and the Technical and Special Trades' Union (Teknisten ja Erikoisammattien Liitto, Tekeri). With over 200,000 members, the new union will be the second largest affiliate of SAK and the second largest trade union in Finland after the Trade Union for the Municipal Sector (Kunta-alan ammattiliitto, KTV). The main reason for the merger is to achieve more efficiency and influence in the changing, increasingly international setting of working life.

The members of the new union include sales personnel, hotel and restaurant workers, caretakers, cleaners, guards and many workers in small sectors, such as servicers of household machines, photographic film processors and cinema employees. The common denominator of the members is that they all work in service occupations. According to the letter of intent, each sector involved will independently prepare and negotiate its own collective agreements together with its own employer-side counterpart, as hitherto. The board of the new union will decide on the common goals, and on industrial action. Furthermore, it will approve or reject the negotiation results. The status and rights of shop stewards and industrial safety delegates will be maintained; however, cooperation between shop stewards working in the same companies will be improved. The new union will not involve a direct combining of the four unions' independent local trade union branches. Development of the structure and functions of local union branches will proceed in cooperation between the local union and the central union. The service provided to members will be improved by maintaining an extensive network of local activities. Joint procedures for watching over members' interests will be formulated. It is believed that the merger will create resources for the recruitment of members and for dissemination of information, with the goal of linking the diverse membership.