Jarkko Eloranta elected unanimously as JHL's new President

JHL (23.09.2011 - Juhani Artto) Jarkko Eloranta, 45, is the new President of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL. He was elected on Thursday at an extraordinary meeting of the Union Council. The election was unanimous. The post became vacant when the long-time President, Tuire Santamäki-Vuori, was appointed Secretary of State to the Minister of Finance, Jutta Urpilainen. Eloranta had been JHL's Vice-President since 2007.

His term as president will continue until June 2012. Then the Union Council - to be elected by ballot in March 2012 - will face the task of electing the top leaders of the union.

The incoming President, Eloranta, briefly outlined JHL's priorities and challenges in the months ahead. In the public sector collective bargaining JHL intends to reach agreements that maintain the purchasing power of its rank and file members. "Also the commitment to reduce the pay gap between men and women is still very much alive and on the agenda", he reminded all.

Pirjo Mäkinen, 56, was elected as the new Vice President. She has worked as JHL's personnel or human resources manager since 2006.