Else-Mai Kirvesniemi, Master of Laws with court training, has been elected as the new President of STTK. The decision was made by STTK’s new assembly, which convened in Helsinki today. Kirvesniemi had no opponents in the election. The term of office is four years and it will end in December 2029.
Antti Palola, who has served as the President of STTK for three terms since 2013, no longer stood as a candidate.
Kirvesniemi has previously worked as the executive director of STTK’s member organisation Tehy and previously as the organisation’s lobbying manager. Before that, she was the head of the service sector at Trade Union Pro.
Finland needs a mutually agreed labour market model and a genuine negotiation culture
In her speech, Kirvesniemi called for better cooperation between the central employee and employer organisations.
“Finland is facing serious, large-scale problems. We face economic challenges and security policy threats. In working life, climate change and artificial intelligence are bringing on rapid changes. We need more forces and actions focused on the common good than on inequality, she noted.
She expressed a specific wish for the future Director General of the Confederation of Finnish Industries.
“I hope that we can embark on a new, collaborative path. We need a mutually agreed labour market model for the Finnish labour market and the opportunity for genuine negotiations. Not a model that has been decided between the Finnish government and the Confederation of Finnish Industries, as this clearly does not work. Through better cooperation, it is possible to arrive at a balanced view of the Finnish model and revive the tripartite legislative work that has been abolished during this government.”
Kirvesniemi summed up the core mission of her organisation now and in the future as creating better lives for people. This means that equality, equity and fairness must be increased both in working life and in society.
“STTK is prepared to work hard to safeguard the welfare society. But we do not accept the policy of the current Finnish government, which only obliges wage-earners and the disadvantaged to contribute to this work.”
More concrete action to promote pay equality
When a woman’s euro is still just over 84 cents, Kirvesniemi states that the development in this area cannot be praised.
“Equal pay will not be realised even for our children’s children if the pace does not increase. STTK requires – and in the future also proposes – more and more concrete measures to promote wage equality and equity in the labour market.”
She stressed the role of the trade union movement in defending the rule of law. This means that the public authorities act within the limits of the law, respecting democracy and fundamental rights.
“In recent times, confrontation has become more intense. It manifests itself as belittling, discrimination, offensive speech, and acts directed against a person’s race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or other personal characteristic. Today, it seems perfectly acceptable to divide people into us and others. And confrontation is not only a problem for Finland, as the corresponding development can be seen both in Europe and the US. This development must be stopped.”
Requests for interviews 18 December: Director of Communications Marja-Liisa Rajakangas, tel. +358 40 766 8133.