Loimu is present in most workplaces, as union representatives elected by the members of unions affiliated with the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (Akava) operate there. Without a well-functioning shop steward system and a large number of dedicated shop stewards, trade unions would not be able to manage the extensive task of advocating for workers’ rights.
The role of a shop steward is demanding and diverse. Above all, they maintain communication between employees and the employer. They participate in workplace agreements and negotiation activities, negotiate with the employer on matters concerning the employees they represent, promote the resolution of disagreements, and help maintain industrial peace.
Shop stewards consider negotiation objectives concerning employment and collective agreements and gauge the opinions of the Akava-affiliated employees on issues that are important to them. Through them, these viewpoints are also brought to the attention of the unions and negotiation organizations.
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The local representation of Loimu members within an employer company depends on whether the employer adheres to a collective agreement (TES) applicable to them or not. If there’s a collective agreement in the sector and the company follows it, senior officials elect a shop steward. If there’s no collective agreement in the sector or the employer does not follow it, the staff can elect a union representative based on the Employment Contracts Act.
Shop Steward
The position of a shop steward is based on the collective agreement. It always specifies, tailored to the contractual field, the selection, number, and term length of shop stewards and deputy shop stewards, any potential compensation for the role, and the permissible amount of work time that can be used for shop steward duties.
A shop steward represents the company’s senior officials in all employment-related matters and questions related to the application of the collective agreement. They also have the right to make local agreements within the framework of the TES, which bind the senior officials at the workplace.
The shop steward has the right to obtain sufficient information from the employer to perform their duties. Practically, this means access to information about the company’s salary policies, earning trends, and average wages. However, individual salary and health information do not need to be disclosed to the shop steward without the separate consent of the person involved.
The Employment Contracts Act guarantees a shop steward stronger protection against dismissal during their term, and in some sectors, also before and after their term.
Electing a Shop Steward
The applicable TES stipulates who can run in shop steward elections and who has the right to vote. The person to be elected as the shop steward for senior officials must be a member of an Akava union.
A shop steward can be selected either unanimously or through an election if there are multiple candidates. When a shop steward is being elected for the first time, the election can be organized by an enterprise association, a group of senior officials, or a safety delegate. Subsequently, the election can be organized by the previous shop steward or the enterprise association.
Union Representative (Luottamusvaltuutettu)
The position of a union representative is based on the Employment Contracts Act. The law defines the tasks and rights of a union representative but, for example, does not specify the term length, which can be decided on a case-by-case basis. According to the law, a reasonable amount of work time must be allocated for the union representative to perform their duties, and any lost wages due to these duties must be compensated.
The role of a union representative is to represent the company’s staff in various employment-related matters and negotiations similarly to a shop steward. Additionally, a union representative can be specifically authorized to handle certain individual matters. The union representative’s rights to receive wage and other staff-related information from the employer and make local agreements are more limited compared to those of a shop steward.
The Employment Contracts Act guarantees a union representative stronger protection against dismissal during their term but not before or after their term.
Selection of a Union Representative
A union representative is often selected by employee groups, for instance, senior officials can choose their own union representative. In a small company, a union representative can be chosen to represent the entire staff.
A union representative can be selected either unanimously or through an election, and the selection must be communicated to the employer.
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In municipalities, wellbeing services counties, universities and state agencies, the advocacy for Loimu members is organized through the Negotiation Organization for Public Sector Professionals (JUKO). Therefore, a JUKO shop steward represents the member at the workplace, regardless of whether the shop steward is a member of Loimu or not.
The position of a shop steward is based on agreements specific to each municipality, wellbeing services county, or agency, which define the number of shop stewards and deputy shop stewards to be elected and their terms of office. Locally, the number of JUKO shop stewards depends on how many Akava-affiliated employees are in the workforce.
In large municipalities, wellbeing services counties, or state agencies and institutions where multiple shop stewards are elected, one is appointed as the chief shop steward. The chief shop steward’s primary task is to centrally oversee employment and service agreements of the municipality, wellbeing services county, or state agency, while other shop stewards handle more individualized member matters.
The role of a shop steward is demanding and diverse. Above all, they maintain communication between employees and the employer. They participate in the municipality, wellbeing services county, or state negotiation and agreement activities, negotiate with the employer on matters concerning the employees they represent, and ensure the implementation of employment agreements and labor laws at the workplace.
Shop stewards consider negotiation objectives for employment agreements and gather the opinions of Akava-affiliated employees on important matters. Through them, these views are also communicated to the unions and the JUKO office. Although JUKO negotiates the primary employment agreements, the local application negotiations within each agency are conducted by the shop steward.
For information on Loimu’s advocacy, you can inquire about who your shop steward is.
Would you like to become a shop steward?
If you’re interested in getting involved in workplace matters and becoming a union representative, you can stand as a candidate in the union representative elections. You can get information about the term of office and the next elections by boldly contacting your workplace union representative or the Loimu advocacy team.