Helsinki (13.04.2003 - Juhani Artto) Present and former trade union members form a clear majority of the new Finnish Parliament elected in mid-March. Of the 200 seats, at least 120 were won by candidates who are either present or former members of unions. This is roughly the same proportion of trade union representation as in the March 1999 election result.

The preponderance of MPs with a union background is hardly surprising, as the organising rate in Finland is among the highest in the world. Another reason behind the electoral success of unionised candidates is the strong support given by national unions and their local branches to their own members.

The smallest of the three main labour confederations, Akava, which mainly organises the academically qualified, has the largest representation in Parliament. According to Akava, at least one third of the new MPs are present or former members of its affiliated unions. 28 of these were teachers before entering politics. Other academic trades with sizeable representation are doctors, lawyers and technical specialists.

Finland’s largest employee confederation SAK is also well represented in the new Parliament. Over 30 MPs are members of an SAK-affiliated union. Many of these are former shop stewards in large industrial enterprises. The new MP Eero Heinäluoma was part of the SAK leadership before becoming General Secretary of the Finnish Social Democratic Party last year. The re-elected social democratic MP Risto Kuisma is a former President of the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union. Most of the roughly 120 MPs with trade union background, however, have been neither leaders nor activists in the union movement. One such MP is Paavo Lipponen, the social democratic Prime Minister of two Finnish governments spanning the last eight years.

Of the SAK unions, the Trade Union for the Municipal Sector – KTV has ten MPs in the new Parliament. The Finnish National Union of State Employees and Special Services – VAL is represented by nine members. Members of Service Unions United – PAM won five seats, the Finnish Metalworkers’ Union four seats, the Wood and Allied Workers' Union three seats and the Finnish Transport Workers' Union one seat.

19 of the MPs elected in March belong to trade unions affiliated to the second largest employee confederation, STTK. Seven of these MPs are members of the Union of Health Care and Social Professionals – Tehy.

The high proportion of MPs with personal experience of union membership does not make Parliament an easy target for trade union lobbying. MPs with a union background belong to various political parties in the political spectrum and differ widely in their concepts of government. Union members are also divided between MPs supporting the governing coalition and those of the opposition parties.

Read also: A clear majority of Finnish MPs are trade union members, Trade Union News from Finland 30.04.1999