What Finnish trade unions actually do?

2025-11-11 11:30 Work Other useful tips

"We’re continuing to share what we discussed during the session with Teddy (Suomen Ekonomit) and Owain (TEK). This part focuses on working life in Finland, unions, and practical support available for internationals."

You can also watch the full recording here:

1) Working in Finland: what’s different (and what actually helps)

→ Networks > applications. Hidden jobs are common; many employers prefer candidates they or their Finnish networks already know.

→ “Finnish context” helps. Projects, clients or roles tied to Finland raise trust.

→ Use communities. It’s hard to navigate contracts, salary data, layoffs or harassment alone. Unions and professional associations exist to back you up.

2) What do Finnish trade unions do

→ Legal support. Contract reviews, guidance if laid off or facing workplace issues; unions’ lawyers handle about thousands of cases each year.

→ Career services. Coaching, salary benchmarks, job-search strategy, interview prep.

→ Advocacy. Unions lobby on laws (collective agreements, holiday bonuses, etc.).

→ Culture note. In Finland, being in a union is normal across seniority levels.

→ Strikes are quite rare, especially in unions for highly educated people.

Which union fits?

⭐ Business degree ⇨ usually Suomen Ekonomit or Tradenomit (UAS).

⭐ Engineering/technology/ICT/architecture ⇨ TEK or Insinööriliitto (if UAS degree).

⭐ If your degree is from abroad or your path is non-linear, unions are flexible, you can ask.

"You can also join while unemployed. Legal advice is available from day one, though full legal representation typically requires around six months of membership. Always check each union’s website for the most up-to-date information and membership conditions."

3) Unemployment funds (separate from unions)

→ KOKO / Kassa (for higher-educated professionals) is an unemployment fund, not a union. https://kokokassa.fi/en

The membership fee of the KOKO fund is €63 in 2025, which is €5,25 per month.

You can join KOKO when you are working. The employment contract can be permanent, fixed term or part-time and you can even join the fund as a student if you have a summer job or if you are working part-time.

"Example shared: with a ~€3,100 salary, KOKO paid around €1,500-€1,600/month initially (decreasing over time), notably higher than Kela."